After The Smoke Clears
by Peyt fan 4ever
Summary: If things were different there would be a ring on her finger and she would be laughing and smiling talking about plans for their up and coming wedding, but things weren't different and that horrifying day had happened. A month later it was still holding one of their lives in the balance. How will 51 deal with the aftermath of that faithful day. Post Season 2 Finale.
1. Wake Up Baby

_"Gabriella Dawson. You are the strongest, most single minded person I know. I'm a lucky man to have you in my life. I want to make sure we are together forever... Will you marry me?"_

_Truck 81, Ambulance 61, Engine 51, Squad 3, Building fire 4244 West Hancock_

_"Real world never waits, does it?"_

_"Husband and a hero, best wedding story ever."_

_"Hey, I'm sorry."_

_"I love you, you know."_

_"I love you too."_

_"We'll figure this out."_

_"Yeah always"_

_"Men huh."_

_"Casey asked me to marry him."_

_"And?"_

_"Duty calls."_

_"You guys are going to be great together."_

_"Severide, Rescue Squad report back, we can't hear you out here."_

_"Truck 81. Casey, what do you see?"_

_"House 51 anyone report!"_

_"Oh God. REPORT! SEVERIDE REPORT! CASEY REPORT! TRUCK 81 SQUAD 3 REPORT! PATALIAN 25 TO MAIN MADA EMERGENCY! MADA EMERGENCY!"_

_"ANYONE FROM HOUSE 51 REPORT! REPORT..."_

**1 Month Later:**

"First day back. How you feeling?" Shay asked as she walked down the stairs to find Kelly getting his bag ready.

"Just ready to get back to work." He said simply.

Shay just nodded and grabbed a cup of coffee.

"Have you heard anything from Casey?" Shay questioned.

Kelly shook his head sullenly.

Shay let out a puff of air and looked at her phone to the timer she had set. "27 hours, 3 minutes." She stated sadly. Kelly looked at her questioningly. She lifted her phone to show him the timer. "Until she wakes up."

"Shay, we don't know that she..."

"She's going to wake up Kelly." She stated with finality. "She's going to." She repeated, and he can only nod, knowing he would lose this argument. It was an argument he was okay with losing, as long as it actually did happen.

...

"Hey Matt."

"Antonio, hey." He pulled him in to a short hug then parted as they walked down the hall.

"How you doing?" Antonio asked the younger man.

"Holding in there." He stated.

Antonio nodded sadly. At this rate everyone was just holding in there. There wasn't much more than that that they could do.

"We have a day Matt, until..." He stopped himself not being able to say the words. "She's going to wake up. She is a fighter, she is going to make it through this. We all just need to believe that. Believe in her to fight this." He stated.

Matt could only nod as he patted Antonio on the back and said his goodbyes as he made his way to the room he was beginning to consider his home more than the apartment he lived in.

He went straight to his chair after pressing a soft lingering kiss to the occupants head. "Morning baby." He whispered.

He grasped her hand in his and sat down in his chair beside her. He looked to her left hand that was held in his and sighed. If things were different there would be a ring on her finger and she would be laughing and smiling talking about plans for their up and coming wedding.

But things weren't different, and that day a month ago had happened. It almost claimed all of their lives, and they were all damn lucky to be alive. It injured all of them in some way, some minor, some major. But they had all mostly recovered, everyone was back at firehouse 51 with the exception of Dawson, and Casey, who was capable of working, but had only been back for less than half of his shifts not being able to leave Dawson's side.

It had been one month to the day. And a week since the doctors had brought up taking Gabby off life support. Casey had told them no, that she just needed time and he wasn't willing to give up on her yet, but Gabby's parents had stated that they couldn't stand seeing her like this, that if she hadn't woken up within the next week they had no other choice, that Gabby wouldn't want this to be her life.

Matt was still coming to terms with it. Every morning he was here, and most nights he stayed the night, sleeping better on the small hospital cot next to her bed that they had set up for him than in his king sized bed at home.

Matt frustratingly ran his hand through his hair. He squeezed her hand in his. "Gabby, baby. I... I can't lose you." He felt the tears sting his eyes as he spoke, but didn't care." You've got to wake up for me baby, you've got to open up those beautiful eyes for me. I don't know what I'd do without you baby, but its, nothings worth it without you here. Gabby, I love you. We, we're supposed to get married, and grow old together. You never got to answer me, I need you to wake up and answer me Gabby. I, I want to marry you Gabby, I want you to be my wife." Matt could feel the tears running down his face but didn't have the energy to wipe them away as he held her hand and begged her to stay with him.

It wasn't anything new for them to be in this position him praying for a miracle, but today it felt different, and he knew that today it was different. If she didn't wake up within the next day than that was it. She was gone, and he was left here to pick up the pieces and to try and move on. And every time he thought of the situation he was placed in he knew, there was no moving on from her.

...

The firefighters and paramedics sat in the conference room of firehouse 51 waiting for their briefing to begin the shift. Everyone quieted down as the chief entered the room and came to the head to address everyone.

He cleared his throat as he began. "I'd like to start off by welcoming Lt. Severide back to 51, we've all missed having you running squad." Everyone clapped and welcomed Kelly back happily. "On that same note, today marks one month since the West Hancock call." Everyone became silent thinking about that day and the days to follow it. "I know that today will be just as tough as that day a month ago. So if anyone needs to talk, talk, do not keep anything bottled up. We were all affected by that day, no matter how major. And I am so proud of how everyone in this house has rallied around each other and taken care of one another." He cleared his throat and looked around the room, knowing that two major people in this house were missing and felt a tug at his heart with the thought. "I know everyone is aware of Dawson's situation, and I wish there were a way to be with her, Lt. Casey, and her family right now instead of here, I'm sure you all feel the same. Although we are all hoping that it does not come to it, the time to," He found himself clearing his throat again, not believing the words that were about to come from his mouth could be true. "To a, turn off life support is not until 2 hours after shift ends I know you will all be tired, but I am hoping to see all of you there, whether we are celebrating her waking up, or mourning. I expect to see you all there for her, for Lt. Casey, and for her family."

"She's going to wake up guys." Shay said with finality to everyone in the room whose head were hung low thinking about a life without Dawson in it. "We all know Dawson and she is just being stubborn and trying to scare us all. She is going to wake up."

Everyone nodded slowly, wanting to believe it as well.

Chief Boden nodded his head and gave Shay a small smile. "I know that today will be hard, but I need everyone to keep focused on the job as well. And in your mean time I want every thought, every prayer to be directed to that hospital room." Everyone nodded their head, all of their thoughts and prayers had been directed to the hospital room for the past month, and would only be doubled today.

"Lt. Casey will not be with us today as I'm sure you can all understand. So Lt. Hermman will be taking over for Truck 81 today. Let's all just make it through this day people so we can go see our girl. Dismissed."

Everyone filled out of the room and made their way into the commons area to get some breakfast.

"What's for breakfast Peter Mills?" Mouch asked as he got in line.

"French toast... it's Dawson's favorite." He said quietly.

Mouch smiled at him and Hermann laughed beside Mouch as he said. "Dawson's going to wake up just to come kick your ass for finally making her favorite without her here." This earned a few laughs from everyone in the room.

"I remember her first day here." Severide said thoughtfully, thinking of their first meeting.

"Shay introduced her like she was some gift sent from the paramedic God's." Hermann smiled as he thought about the picture he had taken of Shay and Dawson on her first day Shay's hand outstretched showing Dawson off to all the guys.

"Hey, my girl is a paramedic God, you've seen her on calls, she is a bad ass PIC." Shay laughed.

Rafferty laughed at Shay's comment and thought of some of her first meetings with Dawson and how she had been so jealous of her. She was wrong when she had said that Pouch was the only thing loved more than Dawson in this house. She had been here the past month taking over Dawson's spot and the one thing she had learned over everything was that Dawson was number one in this house. The men and women at firehouse 51 loved Dawson with everything they had. And she wasn't jealous of that like she had been before. She was happy to get to be a part of it. To be able to know such an amazing person who had so clearly affected so many lives.

"She would've made one hell of a firefighter." Hermann commented.

"She _will_ make one hell of a firefighter." Shay corrected him right away. "Quit talking about her in past tense she's not dead."

"Shay I didn't mean..."

"No, I know... I'm sorry. I just, she is going to live guys. If we all stop believing that then, she has no reason to believe it either."

The guys all nodded as the alarm sounded.

_Truck 81, Ambulance 61, Engine 51, Squad 3, Battalion 25 Warehouse fire 3452 Southwest 22nd Street_

Shay and Rafferty were just finishing up paperwork from the patient they had brought in with 2nd degree burns from the fire. "Hey uh, I'm going to go check in on Casey and Dawson quick. You mind finishing this up?" Shay questioned.

Rafferty nodded her head in the direction of the elevator. "Go ahead, I'll finish up down here and meet you in the ambo in 15?"

Shay nodded back and raced off to her best friend's room.

_"Damn it Gabs stay with me! You're not doing this to me, you're not doing this to Casey, Dawson. Stay with me!" Shay pleaded as she felt the brunette's pulse weaken under her touch and could feel her hear breaths becoming shallower. _

_She raced to grab things out of the bag while trying to hold her hand over the gash in Dawson's leg that was losing blood quickly. She put the monitors on trying to get a better reading as to what was going on with her friend. She watched in horror as the monitor showed her heart going into v__-__fib and placed the pads on her chest after starting a line in her wrist she charged the petals and shocked her. "Damn it!" She yelled in frustration and charged the paddles again. After the shock she breathed a sigh of relief when the monitor went back to a normal rhythm. She wrapped her leg quickly trying to keep her from losing any more blood, and then moved to the large gash on her head where a beam of wood had fallen and hit her. _

_She began to access the rest of her injuries just then noticing the large sheet of concrete that was resting on her other leg and winced knowing that she wouldn't be able to move that herself. She than unbuttoned Dawson's jacket and pulled up her shirt and felt herself sicken at the sight of the bruising showing up on her abdomen that was a sure sign of internal bleeding. _

_She began to frantically search for the radio that Dawson had strapped to her hoping it was still intact unlike hers that had been demolished in the explosion. She pulled her radio from Dawson's jacket and yelled into it. _

_"Casey, Severide, Chief, Anyone you there?" She said hopefully. _

_There was long pause. "House 51! Anyone copy?!"_

_There was another pause where Shay really thought she was going to have to find a way to get them out of here on their own. _

_"Shay?! That you? Where are you?"_

_Casey? Oh thank God. "Casey! We're on the first floor still I think. It's too dark I can't see much. Casey, its Dawson. It's bad, it's really bad. We need to get her out of here. Now!"_

_Casey felt his heart jump and his blood run cold. No. This couldn't be happening. "I'm coming for you guys! How is she?" _

_"Large head laceration, possible head trauma, laceration to the left thigh she's a breath away from hitting a major artery, her right leg is pinned under concrete, she has internal bleeding. I had to bag her Casey, and she went into v__-__fib, but I got her back, if it happens again in here I don't know if I'll be able to get her out again. She's a mess Casey, we need to get her out of here."_

_Casey felt his body lunge and bile rise from his stomach as it emptied its contents. He couldn't believe this was happening. He needed to get to them now. He need to see his girl and make sure she was alive. _

_"I'm coming to you Shay. Tell her to hold on for me. I'm coming!"_

"Casey?"

Casey jumped at the sound of his name and his eyes scanned Gabby's face wishing that the sound had come from her. He sighed to find her sleeping as she had been since that day.

"Any news yet?" She questioned as she came into the room and took Gabby's hand.

"Not yet." He said as he stood up and stretched his arms above his head. "What are you doing here?" He questioned curiously.

"Had a call, warehouse fire, had a victim with second degree burns come in." Casey nodded in understanding and looked back to Gabby's sleeping form.

"How are you holding up?" Shay asked in concern.

He let out a puff of air. "I'm..." _Fine._ He thought about lying, but knew Shay would call him out for it. "I'm a mess Shay. This isn't how it's supposed to be. You know, I asked her to marry me right before that call and then told her not to answer after the alarm because I wanted to give her a better proposal than that. And here we are. This just isn't right." He stated desperately. "She worked her ass off to become a firefighter and if she dies she won't ever get to prove that she can do it. That she is going to be one kick ass firefighter... I just..." He lost his words after that. All the frustration he felt taking over and the tears daring to fall from his eyes as he choked up.

"I don't think I can live in a world that she is not in Shay." He said in desperation as the tears spilt down his cheeks.

Shay felt the tears spill down her cheeks as she finally let her mind drift to the thought of a world without Dawson in it. She walked over to Casey and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug both of them clinging to each other for support.

...

When the end of shift finally arrived everyone quickly made their way to the hospital, not wanting to miss a minute of getting to be with Dawson or Casey. House 51 all filed into the waiting room one by one hoping to hear good news by the end of the morning.

Matthew Casey was feeling overwhelmed. He had spent the majority of the day with Gabby alone. There was an hour until the scheduled time to turn off the ventilators and what Matt assumed was her whole family was here. He hadn't left his seat since they all arrived. He kept a firm grasp on Gabby's hand and silently begged her to wake up for him.

"Casey?" He jumped as he felt a hand on his shoulder and his name being called.

"Yeah?" He questioned as he looked up at Antonio.

"There is something you need to see." Casey looked at him and then back at Gabby, not wanting to leave, but got up anyways following Antonio down the hallway to the waiting room where he found all of 51 and a few people from the 21st district of CPD and a few other paramedics and firefighters that Gabby had worked with over the years waiting. He stopped in his tracks as they all stood to great him and felt tears prick his eyes.

He felt Antonio pat him on the back before walking over to talk to a few of the people.

"You guys..." He started but stopped when he started to choke up.

Chief Boden made his way over to Casey and pulled him into a hug, "We are all here for you Casey. Anything you, Gabby, or the Dawson's need. We are here." He stated.

Everyone took turns hugging Casey and giving their condolences and Matt couldn't shake the feeling that this felt too much like a goodbye to Dawson, not a waiting for her to wake up, and it was the first time that day that he let his mind drift to thoughts of having to actually say goodbye to her. But there was only an hour left, and if she didn't wake up soon he would most definitely be saying goodbye, and that thought he still couldn't bear.

"Come on guys, you should all come see her." He lead house 51 down the hall to Gabby's room where her family filed out to allow room for her second family to make their way in.

As everyone took their turn talking to Gabby, some telling her to fight like hell this last hour, and others opting to not say anything at all.

After everyone had gotten to talk to her Shay, Severide, and the Chief stayed while everyone else went back to the waiting room. With 20 minutes left Gabby's parents, and Antonio and Laura came into the room deciding only a few people needed to be there when the machines were turned off. Matt resumed his position by her side in his chair his hand not leaving hers. Everyone in the room was silent holding their breaths and praying for a miracle.

"I know it's a lot to ask, but is it alright if I get a couple minutes alone real quick?" Matt questioned pleadingly. They all nodded and went out to the hall to give them some privacy.

He sighed and could feel his lips quiver and tears well in his eyes before he could even start speaking. "Hi baby." He croaked out as the tears spilt over. "I guess this is it. You fought so hard baby, I'm so proud of you. I know you did everything you could to come back to me, to all of us. Nothing will ever be the same without you. You are my world, you're a lot of people's world Gabby, and I don't think you realized just how many people's lives you've touched, how many people love you unconditionally." He took a deep breathe. "I'm so sorry I wasted so much time not being with you. When I think back on all the time I wasted not with you when I could have been I think that will forever be my biggest regret, not making you mine sooner. I am so completely in love with you Gabriela Dawson. I'm so sorry I didn't save you in time..." Matt rest his head on their joined hands as he cried silent tears.

"Matt, it's time." He hears her mother's tearful voice say. Everyone filled into the room as well as the doctor and a nurse as they explained the procedure of shutting off the machines and Matt never took his eyes off of her. Praying that some miracle would occur, that she would just open her eyes before they could get started.

The doctor finished explaining the procedure and began to shut off the machines and silent tears flooded his cheeks. _Come on Gabby, come on baby you can do this. _He pleaded.

The last machine was shut off and silence filled the room. He could hear everyone crying and consoling each other, but he was stuck to his spot staring at her peaceful face clutching her hand.

And that's when he felt it. Her fingers fluttered in his hand lightly. The first time he'd felt any movement in her for over a month now. And then he felt it again. Stronger this time. _That's it baby._ No one else was paying attention all to consumed in their grief. And he felt it again, this time her fingers squeezed around his and he watched in awe as he could see her chest still lightly moving in perfect beats.

Her grip loosened then tightened again and he was rooted to his spot silently watching her, not wanting to ruin this moment or jinx it away. _Come on baby, open your eyes._

He watched her take a deep breathe this time and then his dreams came true as her eyes slowly fluttered open. He slowly stood up over her. Watching her in awe as she came too. Slamming her eyes back closed from the harsh light and then fluttering them open again slowly. He ran his hand along her cheek and could feel his tears soaking his face.

"Baby?" He whispered quietly so only she could hear him. And that she did. Blue met brown and he watched as recognition flooded her features and tears welled in her eyes. "Matt." She whispered quietly as a tear fell from her eye. She used there entwined hands to pull him to her.

His heart burst with joy as he let out a strangled laugh and sob, she was alive. He engulfed her in a hug.

"Casey?" He heard Shay whisper from behind him, finally catching on to all the movement coming from the bed.

He pulled back and rested his hand on her cheek again lovingly.

"She's alive." He stated softly, afraid to speak any louder, like talking loud would wake him from this amazing dream.

"Did you all think you could get rid of me that easily?" Gabby said hoarsely and everyone in the room rushed to her side the doctors began hooking her monitors back up quickly, while the rest of them hugged her and cried tears of joy. Matt wouldn't let her hand go for everyone to get a complete hug from her, but she didn't seem to mind.

"Welcome back Miss Dawson." The doctor said relieved.

She smiled shyly and averted her eyes back to her boyfriend who was staring at her with so much love in his eyes.

The doctors did a quick exam and then left Gabby to be with her family, telling her not to overdo it and get plenty of rest.

Everyone in the room took their time hugging and talking to her, telling her if she ever did anything like that again they would kick her ass. And she promised to them that they were allowed to just kill her off if she ever put them in this situation again.

After hearing an all clear from the doctor that she was doing good her brother and parents decided to go home for some much needed rest. Shay decided to stay with Dawson while Casey went to the waiting room with Chief and Severide to tell everyone the news.

He walked in and could see tear stains on everyone's cheeks and watched as they all stood up when they saw him.

Tears welled up in a few of their eyes when they saw the Lt.'s and Chief's puffy eyes.

"She's alive." Casey said as a big smile filled his features.

Everyone in the waiting room heaved a large sigh of relief and began to cheer. Hermann ran up to Casey giving him a big hug. Mills followed behind hugging both men. The rest of 51 followed all wrapping each other up in hugs as tears of relief feel from their eyes.

Lindsay walked up to Severide and pulled him into a hug as he let the tears fall as well. Letting all of the heartache he'd felt the past month out.

"How? What happened? How is she?" Hermann asked Casey and all the men quieted to hear his answer.

Casey retold his story from when the doctors came in. Explaining how they had turned off the machines and then how he had watched her, not willing to believe she was gone, and how she had finally woken up.

"So is she okay? I mean do the doctors expect a full recovery?"

"They haven't said too much. Told her to take it easy and to relax. They want to take her for an MRI later today, but so far it is looking good." Casey said happily. "Come on guys, she'll be happy to see you all."

Casey led the group of men down the hall to where they had left only a couple hours before all thinking that would be the last time they seen Dawson.

...

Shay walked up to Gabby's bed, happy for the short amount of time alone with her friend.

"Hey buddy." She said lightly as she grabbed her hand. Gabby smiled at her softly and squeezed her hand.

"You gave us all a real scare you know that." Shay's voice cracked. "I'm so happy you're okay. I don't know what I would've done without my girl."

Gabby felt tears well up in her eyes as well. While everyone had a month to come to terms with losing her, Gabby had only had less than an hour to think about the idea of leaving all of those that she loved.

"Well we don't have to worry about that now. I promise."

"We better not, or I'm so going to kick your ass Dawson." Shay said and pulled her in for a tight hug.

"She pulls anything like this again and you're going to have to beat me to her to kick her ass." They both pulled apart and stared at the door where the men of 51 stood with smiles on their faces.

"Oh Hermann you underestimate me." Leslie said jokingly.

The men all filled into the room hugging Dawson close and giving her hell like they usually do and she was grateful for each and every one of them. Matt came to stand by her side once again, never wanting to be far away from her again.

He sat back and watched as she interacted with the guys and Shay. It was like being back at the firehouse, like nothing was different than a normal shift of them all just sitting around in the commons room giving each other hell as usual.

Matt watched Gabby yawn for the umpteenth time, but found himself not being able to scold her for staying up if she was tired because seconds later a large smile was back on her face and she was laughing that beautiful laugh that he had missed so much.

Eventually all the guys left and Matt and Gabby were left alone again. Gabby laid down and yawned once again and Matt gave her a look of concern. "You should get some sleep. You've had one hell of a day."

She nodded, but wouldn't meet his eyes. "What's wrong baby?" He questioned her.

"I... I'm afraid."

"Of what Gabby?"

"Of falling asleep. Matt the last time I fell asleep I almost died, I almost didn't wake up. I... I can't do that again." She said with thick emotion.

"Oh baby." Matt whispered pulling her into his strong arms. "It's all going to be okay, I'll be by your side all night long baby."

Matt carefully crawled into her bed, careful of all the wires and IV's she was still hooked up too. He laid himself down next to her and pulled her close wrapping his arms around her.

He planted a soft kiss to the top of her head. "You're not going anywhere Gabby. And I am going to lay here all night long to make sure of it if that is what it takes. Because baby, this is our time now, and I am not letting anything or anyone cut that short."

He felt Gabby's breathes even out as she snuggled into his chest and he pulled her closer, happy to have his girl back in his arms. They may be in a hospital bed that is far too small for the both of them, but that didn't matter now. The only thing that mattered was that his girl was alive, she had beat the odds and she was with them.

It was their time now, and he never wanted to take that for granted again.


	2. Healing

**Sorry for the wait! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Thank you to everyone that has viewed, favorited, alerted, visited, and reviewed this story. I really appreciate it, and great feedback feeds my muse! So keep it up. If there is any suggestions as to what you as readers would like to see in this story let me know, I am up for ideas! Review, review, review!**

"Mr. Casey?"

Casey stirred as he felt a hand lightly shake his shoulder. He opened his eyes to find a blonde petite nurse standing over him.

"Sorry to wake you, but the doctor wants to check in on Ms. Dawson and see if she is feeling up to trying to go for a walk." She said kindly.

Casey looked down to find Gabby still sleeping soundly in his arms. "Yeah of course." He said looking back at the nurse with a small smile. "I'll wake her."

"The doctor will be in shortly." The nurse gave him a small smile before leaving the room.

Casey looked at Dawson's peaceful body in his arms and knew he was a lucky man to have her in his life, alive, and healthy, well as healthy as can be from being in a coma for a month. He placed a soft kiss to her forehead and watched as she stirred. She snuggled into his chest more and slowly opened her eyes, brown meeting blue.

"Hi." She whispered, her eyes never leaving his.

"Hi." He said back, bringing his lips down to hers. "How are you feeling?" He questioned.

"Like a building exploded on me." She smirked despite herself.

"Doctor wants to come check on you. See how you're doing. Maybe try walking." He stated crawling out of the bed to stand beside her bed, and she immediately missed his warmth.

Before she could answer the nurse and Doctor Whitehill walked in with smiling faces. "Ms. Dawson, it's so nice to see you up and talking."

"It's so nice to be up and talking." She said sharing a smile with Matt who squeezed her shoulder lightly.

The doctors checked her vitals and did a few quick exams to check her vision, hearing, memory, and a few other test ran after a traumatic brain injury. Casey stood closely by the whole time watching the doctors quiz Gabby about her memory of the few days before the event and questions about what she remembered about that fateful day as well. He blushed as the doctors asked her if she remembered what she was doing before they were given the call to the fire and Gabby blushed and averted her eyes from him before letting out a quite laugh.

The Dr. Whitehill and the nurse, Tara, shared a glance before looking at the couple sitting across the room from each other. "And what would that be Ms. Dawson?"

She shyly looked towards Matt again and this time he met her eyes with a bright smile. "My boyfriend was proposing to me, at our Chief's wedding."

"Well, congratulations."

They shared a secret smile. "Oh it's… I mean we aren't engaged right now." Matt's heart soared. _Right now. _She wanted to marry him too. "I mean he was in the middle when the call came, and he told me not to answer like this. Gave me a kiss and we both sprang into action."

"Good timing." The Tara and Dr. Whitehill both laughed at their unfortunate timing and Matt and Gabby couldn't help but laugh at their own expense as well.

"So, you're memory up until the explosion seems to be great. Is there anything you can remember after you took the call?" The Doctor asked now.

_Shay and Dawson walked into the front entrance and made their way back to Casey, Mills, and Hermann who were standing over the man that they had called them in to check on. They bent down and began to asses him. "You guys good here?" Casey asked his eyes meeting Gabby. She gave him a secretive smile, both still thinking about his proposal. _

"_Yeah, we got it. Can one of you run out and get the gurney though?" Shay asked when she saw the couple undressing each other with their eyes. _

"_On it." Mills said as he ran towards the exit to grab the gurney. _

"_Good luck." Hermann and Casey called back to the girls as they made their way up the stair to follow the rest of Truck 81. _

"_Pulse is getting weaker." Gabby commented just as stuttering could be heard from the walkie strapped to her gear. Gabby and Shay shared a glance as they heard Severide shaky voice, but couldn't understand what was being said. The walkie sounded again and they heard a PASS alarm going off._

"_Everything alright up there?" Shay tried asking and Gabby listened through her walkie for any kind of reply. More static was heard and Gabby could tell someone was trying to get through on the walkie but all she could hear was cutting out and static. _

_Her and Shay shared another worried glance and began to pack up their things as their patient was stable until the board got there. _

_Just then they both heard frantic screams from upstairs and heavy footsteps before an explosion was heard and seconds later part of the ceiling and stairs was falling on them and debris was flying in the air. Gabby felt something hard hit her head and her body being pinned to the ground before everything went black._

Casey listened to Gabby tell her story of the events that took place while she was inside the building and felt a pang in his heart knowing how scared she must have been and began to think about how scarred he was when he finally got through to Shay and heard the news about her condition.

_Casey raced up the stair to the second floor with Hermann behind him and began to search the area. There was a thin layer of smoke coating the air and he and Hermann masked up quickly and began looking around. _

"_Fire Department! Call out!" Casey yelled with his hands out searching the room he had walked into that had flames in the corner and thick smoke. He listened into the walkie and tried to make out what Severide was trying to say, but all he could catch was static. He walked out of the room back into the hallway. _

"_Hermann!?" He hollered knowing that the walkie was not working and would not be much use in finding his men. _

_Casey heard the walkie sound again with more static and could hear Shay trying to say something, but more static came through. He heard a PASS alarm going off above him and briefly heard it through the walkie before it cut out again with static. Hermann appeared beside him again and gave Casey a worried look. "I don't like this Lieutenant."_

_Casey nodded his approval, but before he could say anything he heard Severide and his men screaming upstairs before he seen Severide, Capp, and, Newhouse running down the stairs. "RUN!" Severide hollered as he made his way down the stairs. _

_Seconds later and explosion was heard up stairs, everyone hit the floor as flames shot down the second floor stairs, the building shook, and Casey could hear PASS alarms going off, before he heard all the windows blowing out. He opened his eyes briefly seeing debris in the air and heavy smoke. He felt the part of the second floor go out near him before the smoke became too much and he blacked out. _

_The last thought on his mind was Dawson, and if she was safe. _

…_.._

_Casey could fell pain shooting through his shoulder as he begun to come too. He could hear PASS alarms going off around him and looked around his surroundings confused. _

_Then it all came back to him, the explosion, and the screams from his men, the debris flying through the air. _

_He slowly got to his feet and fixed his mask on his head that had fallen off during the explosion. He looked around and found Hermann under the debris coughing. "Hermann!" He hollered rushing to him. He felt a pain shoot up his left arm as he reached to pull debris off of him. "Come on buddy." He said grabbing Hermann's arm and helping him to his feet. He fixed his mask on his head and helped him breath in the fresh air. "You good?" _

_Hermann nodded and looked around briefly before following Casey over to Capp, who had just began to stand up. Casey could see a cut on his leg that was dripping blood and knew that they needed to wrap that before he got very far. "Anything else hurt?" He asked Capp as he ripped part of a curtain that was laid near them on the ground from the explosion, and wrapped it around Capp's leg and then helped him up the rest of the way. _

_Pain continued to shoot through his arm as he looked around and could see Hermann helping Newhouse clean the debris off of himself. "You alright?" He asked Newhouse, as he had been buried under quite a bit of debris. He nodded briefly before looking around at the damage around them. _

"_Jesus." He breathed out looking at the demolished room and most of the 3__rd__ floor that had come down on top of them. _

"_Where's Severide?" Capp asked suddenly. _

_Casey felt panic surge through him as he looked around not seeing his best friend anywhere. _

"_Severide?!" He hollered. All of the men shared a concerned look before jumping in to action and searching the area. _

_The searched through the debris on what was left of the second floor all of them growing more and more concerned before finally Capp shouted out. "I've got him!"_

_The men rushed to him and began to unbury him from the rubble. "Careful now!" Casey yelled as he helped Hermann and Capp pick up a large piece of concrete off of Severide's abdomen. "Shit." Casey cursed when he seen the large gash in Severide's side._

"_We need to get him out of here. Now." Casey said as he felt for Severide's pulse and felt that it was weak. _

_The men nodded there agreement. Casey looked around trying to find where the stairs had been and could see that they were gone. He cursed under his breathe and began to look around trying to think of another exit for his men. _

_"Casey, Severide, Chief, Anyone you there?" _

_The men looked around confused from the sudden sound. _

_"House 51! Anyone copy?!"_

_Shay. Gabby. Dammit! Casey thought as he looked around for a walkie that was working. His had been smashed during the fall and so had Severide's and Newhouse. He quickly spotted that Hermann's was the working walking and jumped to him grabbing the device._

_"Shay?! That you? Where are you?" He hollered concerned. _

_"Casey! We're on the first floor still I think. It's too dark I can't see much. Casey, its Dawson. It's bad, it's really bad. We need to get her out of here. Now!"_

_Casey felt his heart jump and his blood run cold. No. This couldn't be happening. "I'm coming for you guys! How is she?" He began searching the area even more franticly for an exit. _

_"Large head laceration, possible head trauma, laceration to the left thigh she's a breath away from hitting a major artery, her right leg is pinned under concrete, she has internal bleeding. I had to bag her Casey, and she went into v-fib, but I got her back, if it happens again in here I don't know if I'll be able to get her out again. She's a mess Casey, we need to get her out of here." He could feel the desperation in Shay's voice and all he could feel is sheer panic run through his body. He couldn't lose her. _

_Casey felt his body lunge and bile rise from his stomach as it emptied its contents. He couldn't believe this was happening. He needed to get to them now. He need to see his girl and make sure she was alive. _

_"I'm coming to you Shay. Tell her to hold on for me. I'm coming!" He hollered as he found a short, but thick rope in a side closet. _

"_Hurry Casey." Shay spoke desperately. _

_Casey grabbed on to the rope and tied it to himself tightly. He hissed in pain as when he pulled on the rope to tight. _

"_What's wrong Lt.?" Capp asked as cleared out some debris to help lower Casey down to the first floor. Casey shook his head and grabbed on to the rope, not wanting to worry about himself right now, Gabby needed him. _

_But when immense pain shot up his arm again when he grabbed onto the rope he knew he couldn't wait. "Dammit!" He cussed. "Capp. My shoulder is dislocated. I'm going to need you to pop it back into place before I am going to be able to hold on to this rope. Can you do that for me?"_

_Capp nodded and hurried over to him while Hermann stayed with Severide to apply pressure to his wound. _

_Capp popped Casey's shoulder back into place and winced when his Lt. screamed in pain, but it was soon over and Newhouse and Capp were carefully lowering Casey to the first floor with the small rope. Casey was only a few feet from the ground when the rope would not go any lower. He held on tight and carefully untied himself and slide the rest of the way down hitting the ground roughly. _

"_You alright Casey?!" He heard Newhouse yell down to him. _

_He picked himself up and looked around at the first floor. Only the stairs and part of the second floor had fallen into it, but it still looked worse than the second floor. _

"_I'm good. We need to get Severide down here if he is going to make it. There is no way you three can get him down on your own." He said, even though all he wanted to do was get to Gabby. He couldn't leave his best friend up there without a chance, and he couldn't leave his men trapped there as well. _

_As much as he wished he could be selfish in this situation, he was a Lt. and he had to think of all his men. Not just himself and Dawson. _

"_Bring Severide close to the edge. Newhouse and Capp, lower Hermann down first." The men did as Casey said and Hermann was standing beside him on the first floor within seconds. "Alright guys, tie the rope under Severide's arms and around his chest, carefully lower him down, and make sure that packing is in there good." Hermann and Casey carefully took ahold of Severide's legs, then slowly brought him down the rest of the way. They laid him down and Casey checked his pulse, relieved when he still found it there. _

"_We're good. Now Newhouse lower down Capp. We will get him the rest of the way, just go slow, don't strain yourself to much." Capp slowly began to come down to the first floor and Casey and Hermann grabbed onto him once he was in reach and brought him down the rest of the way. "Alright Newhouse. Is there anything sturdy you can tie that rope to, to bring you down." _

_Newhouse searched the area nearest to the edge, but found nothing. "Newhouse you're going to have to crawl to the edge. Hang on to the edge and we will grab your feet and bring you down. Just hold yourself up and we will get you."_

_Newhouse did as Casey said and Capp and Casey grabbed on to him bringing him down slowly, but a little roughly as they all tumbled to the floor._

"_Lt. go find our girl. We will get Severide out of here." Casey looked around, but didn't see Shay anywhere. He walked over to Hermann and grabbed his walkie. _

"_Shay?" He questioned._

"_Casey is that you?" _

"_Chief?" Casey asked._

"_Casey, Thank God. What's going on in there? We are getting a team ready to head your way." Boden said._

"_Capp, Hermann, Newhouse, Severide and I just got down to the first floor. Severide is unconscious, and in pretty bad shape, he has a deep wound to his abdomen. Capp has got a deep cut on his leg, but is doing well right now, my shoulder was dislocated, but we got it back in. Newhouse and Hermann have smoke inhalation, but are doing well now." Casey said looking at all his men now, relieved at how lucky they actually were given the looks of this building._

"_Shay came through about 10 minutes ago. She sounded good, but uh Dawson." Casey's heart hurt thinking about how bad she sounded from what Shay had said. "Chief, she's bad, real bad."_

_Boden took a deep breathe. Dawson was like a daughter to him, he couldn't imagine losing her in this._

"_We will get her Casey, the men are coming in now. She's tough." _

"_What about Mouch and Cruz? They were on the roof." Casey asked. _

"_Both out here. They made it down the fire escape." Boden answered. "We will see you all out here soon Lt."_

_Capp and Hermann and Newhouse carried Severide as Casey took off in search of Dawson and Shay. _

"_Shay?" He hollered. As he searched around the first floor. _

"_Shay!" He tried again and paused to listen. _

"_Casey!" Matt rushed around the side he was at and felt relief wash over him as Shay and (Mills?) He had wondered where he had ended up during the blast, came into view. _

"_How is she?" He questioned as he ran up to them and sat down on his knees next to Gabby, grabbing on to her hand tightly. _

"_She is stable right now, but she needs a hospital, now." Mills answered. _

_Casey nodded and looked down at Gabby, she looked so small, even in her big gear. He looked at Mills and then Shay. "How about you two? You both alright?" He questioned. He needed to keep his mind off of how bad this was, at least until the other team found them. _

_Shay and Mills both nodded. _

"_What about your patient?"_

_Shay looked behind her and pointed to the man they had been working on. "He's DOA now." She stated. _

_Casey was about to reply, but the flashing of lights and people's voices stopped him. _

_Soon they were all being taken out of the building and to the hospital. Where they would all began to endure the longest month of their lives. _

Matt snapped out of his thoughts as he watched the Doctor and Nurse get Gabby situated at the side of the bed to go for a walk. He watched as the nurse carefully put a gate belt around Gabby's waist and put the walker in front of her just in case she needed it.

She had yet to try walking since she had woken up earlier that day, and he could tell she was nervous about it by the look on her face. Matt stood against the wall out of the way as Gabby stood up and got her bearings.

"You ready for this?" He questioned with a smile.

Gabby caught his eyes and smiled lightly before nodding. She grabbed onto the walker for support as the doctor and nurse stood on either side of her holding the belt. She put all her weight in her legs than and was happy when they supported her better than they were all expecting.

Gabby hesitantly took a step with her bad leg. After being pinned for almost an hour it had endured many surgeries. While the doctors were hopeful for a full recovery, things became tricky when Gabby was not waking up, while the leg was fixed properly, it had not been used in over a month, they had begun to worry about its blood flow and whether it would be able to completely function properly.

Gabby put more weight into her bad leg and felt a smile grace her lips when she felt no pain in it. She slowly walked towards her door and down the hall with Matt by her side the whole time. As she walked farther down the hall she passed a waiting room and her breathe caught in her throat.

She had woken up 6 hours ago, but there still sat all of 51, almost every member of 21st district police department from Antonio's team, the firefighters and paramedics Gabby had worked with over the years all littered the waiting room and all began to rise with big smiles on their faces as Gabby walked by and stopped in front of them. She felt tears come to her eyes as she looked out at the many faces in the room.

Gabby turned and let go of the walker and Matt was quick to grab onto her hand for support as the doctor and nurse stayed back to let her great her big group.

"Yeah Dawson!" Hermann shouted as the group began to clap. Gabby hugged Matt tightly before walking around the room and giving hugs to 51, and to the people that she had, had yet to see today.

After an emotional day, and an emotional greeting in the waiting room Matt wheeled Gabby back to her room in a wheelchair after being up the whole time in the waiting room. The nurse carefully helped her back into bed as Dr. Whitehill came back into the room for the third time that day. Matt came to stand beside Gabby and took her hand.

They talked about her recovery for a bit before Gabby asked the question that had been on her mind for most of the day.

"What does this all mean for me becoming a firefighter?"

Doctor Whitehill and Tara the nurse shared a look and then looked back to Gabby and Matt.

"Ms. Dawson, I'm not sure if becoming a firefighter is anywhere in your near future; if even at all. I'm sorry."


	3. One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

**So I felt the need to skip forward in this chapter to get away from the accident and get into the rest of the story. While the last chapter got a lot of views, it only had 3 reviews, so I am really hoping that this time jump and more Dawsey love will bring up the views. I know that the last chapter was mostly just the flashback, but I felt it was necessary for the story to show what everyone went through during the accident. I've read a few stories about everyone's idea of what happened that day, and many people side step the idea in their stories, so I really wanted to go into detail about each person in the building. **

**Anyways, here is chapter 3. Hope you enjoy!**

_2 weeks later:_

"Gabby?" Matt hollered through the apartment.

"In the bedroom!" She hollered back as she finished making the bed and packing her bag.

Matt walked up the stairs and leaned against the door frame as he watched her.

It felt good to see her back in their house. He hadn't realized just how much he had missed just having her here when he had spent so much time at the hospital, but now. Now he felt his heart soar every time he seen her moving around their apt.; doing laundry, making supper, just lounging on the couch.

He moved behind her as she leaned over the bed placing a shirt in the open bag there. He circled his arms around her waist and kissed her neck as she leaned back into his embrace.

"Are you sure you are ready to go back to work already?" He questioned concerned.

Today Gabby was starting her first day at Firehouse 105 in Austin. She was lucky that they had saved the Candidate spot for her for so long, especially after their obvious feelings of having a woman firefighter in their house.

Gabby had come home from the hospital a little over a week ago and was told to take it easy. With physical therapy the past week she has made a full recovery. While the doctors had told her there was no shame in taking a few extra weeks off to get back on her feet, they had completely released her of any restrictions, and Gabby was not willing to wait to jump back into things, to get her life back.

"Matt, we've talked about this. The doctors released me-"

"They also said there was no shame in taking a few extra weeks off." He reasoned.

"I'm fine." She said as she walked out of his embrace and placed the last item into her bag and zipped it up. "You are going to go to work at 51, and I am going to start at 105, and we are going to meet each other right back here in 24 hours." She said as she placed a kiss on his lips before grabbing her bag and walking down the stairs to the kitchen.

Matt shook his head, but grabbed his bag as well and followed her down the stairs. He grabbed a cup of coffee and poured her a glass as well as she started making some toast and eggs.

Far too soon they were both walking out the door and heading to their separate vehicles and Matt quickly realized he hated every minute of it. They had gotten together just as she was entering the academy and he had gotten use to not riding with her and seeing her at work, but then she hadn't passed and had come back to work and he got use to seeing her every day, riding to work, and coming home together. And now he felt like they were starting back at square one.

He kissed her goodbye and told her to be safe and give 'em hell before making his way to his own vehicle and taking off to 51 with the feeling in his head that this was going to be a long day.

…

"Candidate! When I tell you to stick with me, you stick with me! If I didn't make myself clear enough next time you can wait in the truck!" Lt. Welch hollered at Dawson.

"Lieutenant there was a boy in that room, I heard him. If I wouldn't have got to him then-."

"Then the next guy would have. You are a candidate Dawson." Welch said standing directly in front of Dawson, over towering her. "This isn't 51 where you can do what you want and ride on your boyfriend's coat tails."

Dawson took a step back. Completely at a lost for words. If it were anyone else she would have fought back, but she knew she was already treading in shallow water and didn't want to make it worst. So she shook her head and turned to walk away.

"Dawson!" Welch yelled after her. She stopped and slowly turned around. "Start picking up so we can head back." With that he walked to the front of the truck to wait for her to finish picking up their equipment.

…

"Dawson started her first day at Austin this shift, right Lt.?" Mouch asked from his spot on the couch as Casey made his way into the common room where the rest of 51 was at.

"Uh, yeah. She did." He answered as he looked down at his phone reading his text from Dawson.

"Has she said how it's going yet?" Hermann questioned curiously.

Shay stormed in to the room with Rafferty following behind. "That guy is an asshole!" She fumed as she made her way over to the table and plopped herself down into a chair beside Severide and Hermann.

"What guy?" Otis questioned her.

"Lt. Welch." She spat out. Rafferty and Shay had assisted at the call Austin had been at when a second ambulance was called in for another victim.

They had heard the end of Welch and Dawson's fight as they were loading up the victim. They explained the fight to the guys and Casey felt his anger growing with everything that they were telling him Welch had said.

"Isn't there something we can do about this Casey?" Mills questioned. "I mean Dawson sure as hell doesn't deserve that, no matter how far out of bounds she stepped."

"Exactly." Hermann agreed. "I know as a Lt. you ride your candidates hard, but that. That's not riding your candidate hard to teach them something. That is just plain being an asshole."

"Can't we get her placement changed?" Severide spoke up.

Casey sighed and shook his head. "No I tried that already. Gabby turned it down. She told me she could handle it. That she wasn't going to let him brake her."

"Sounds like Dawson for ya." Shay chuckled.

The guys laughed as they all agreed with her.

"Still there has got to be something we can do." Mouch said.

They all fell silent as they mulled over ideas on how to bring Dawson back to her home, 51.

_Truck 81, Squad 3, Ambulance 61, Car accident; Houston and Central Drive_

As dispatch rattled off the address they all hurried out to their separate trucks to respond.

….

Dawson made her way out of the truck and took off her gear. She turned around to find Welch standing behind her holding a mop and bucket. He let go of the mop and let the handle fall her way as she caught it.

"Bathrooms could use a good cleaning candidate."

Dawson glared at him and bit her tongue and began to push the mop towards the bathroom, just as one of the wheels broke off and the bucket tipped and spilt water everywhere.

Welch turned around at the commotion and smirked. "Oh yeah, by the way, tires are a little old." He shrugged his shoulders. "Did I forget to mention that?" He laughed as he watched her bend down to pick up the bucket and mop from the puddle of water. "If only Casey were here to help you out of this one Dawson." He flashed another smirk her way and Dawson felt her anger bubble over.

She stood up tall and took a step towards him pointing an accusing finger at him. "You know what-."

_House 105, Truck 67, Ambulance 48, Structural Fire, Northwest 22__nd__ Street Hickman Road_

Welch chuckled lightly. "Saved by the bell candidate. You better watch yourself, you are in my house now."

Dawson glared one last time before rushing to the truck to put her gear on and climbing in.

As they took off Welch turned in his seat. "I know you had trouble listening last time candidate, so let me make it nice and clear on this call, stick with me or you will be sitting out on calls until I see fit."

Dawson gave him a curt nod as her response and sent daggers at the back of his head as he turned around.

….

Casey walked into the common room to get a cup of coffee after a long call.

"Casey." Chief said walking into the door way and waving Casey over to him.

Casey stepped out into the hall with the Chief. "What is it Chief?" He questioned.

"I just got a call, Dawson was injured…" Casey felt his blood run cold. Not again. This couldn't be happening again.

"Where is she?" He demanded already taking a step towards the exit.

"Lakeshore. Casey…" Casey took off to his truck in full sprint, he needed to get to her.

"Casey!" Chief hollered, but it was too late, he had already jumped into his truck and had peeled off.

As Casey stepped into the hospital flashbacks hit him of rushing into the ER doors with his men, Dawson's lifeless body on the gurney while nurses and Doctors hollered around him before wheeling her away.

He hurried to the front desk. "Gabrieala Dawson. She was brought in here not to long ago."

The nurse eyed him briefly and quickly recognized him from Dawson's previous time in there.

"Trauma Room 4, Mr. Casey."

Casey was rushing down the hall before she had even finished her sentence.

He rounded the corner and hurried into her room. Relief washed over him as he looked at her sitting up in the bed still in her work pants and just a tank top.

"Casey?" She questioned.

He rushed to her side and began accessing her. "What happened?" He questioned. Looking her over again and not seeing anything.

She leaned forward and he seen a bandage covering her neck and shoulder blades. "It's just a second degree burn. I'm fine, I told them not to call you." She said referring to the hospital staff because he was her emergency contact.

"They didn't. Chief got a call."

She nodded her understanding.

"What happened?" He questioned for the second time.

She sighed. "We were in longer than we should have been. Flames shoot through the hall, I didn't hit the floor fast enough and it got my back. I am fine." She assured him.

He nodded, but the worry was still evident in his eyes. "You scared the hell out of me. I, I thought it was like last time…"

"Baby." She murmured, pulling him to her and giving him a hug. "It takes hell of a lot more than what I have been through to take me away from you Matthew Casey."

He smiled into her neck before placing a kiss there. He pulled back and looked into her eyes before planting a soft kiss to her lips.

"Isn't this sweet." Welch said as he stood in the doorway. "Lieutenant Casey." He nodded as a greeting.

"Lieutenant Welch." Casey nodded back as he turned around to face him leaving a hand rested on the small of Gabby's back.

"What's the word Dawson?" He questioned.

"Good to go Lt." She said hopping off the gurney and grabbing her shirt.

He nodded. "Alright then. We will meet you out in the truck." He said before turning and making his way back to truck 67 with his men.

Casey shook his head in disbelief. No glad you are alright. Just meet you out in the truck? He wondered if a lot of fire houses were like Austin, or if it was just Lt. Welch dragging his house down.

Gabby began putting her shirt on and then her jacket before putting her turnout gear back on.

"I'm really fine Matt. You can go back to work. I'll be okay."

"I really hate that guy." He said shaking his head.

"Me too." She agreed.

"You know it's not too late to find you a different house."

She shook her head. "I told you Matt. I am not going to let him break me."

He shook his head. He loved and hated how stubborn she could be. "Alright." The made their way to the exit and he turned to her pulling her into his arms and kissing her forehead. "Be safe. I love you."

"I will. You too. I love you too, babe."

….

Casey walked into his and Gabby's apartment the next morning after a shift of nonstop calls and all he wanted to do was crawl into bed with his girl and let the days stress melt away.

He had beaten Gabby home and decided to throw his laundry in the washer and get it ready to be started once she got home. It was a half hour after their shift ended and Matt was expecting Gabby to be home any minute. He walked into the living room and sat down on the couch flipping the TV on and resting his feet on the coffee table ready to relax until his next shift.

He got the idea that he would be anything but relaxed when Gabby came storming through the door throwing her bag on the ground in the foyer.

"Matthew Daniel Casey!"

_Uh-oh. _He thought as he heard her stomp her way into the living room and send him a glare.

"What?" He questioned genuinely confused as to why she was angry and why that anger was directed at him.

"Why? Why did you talk to Welch about me!?" She seethed. Still fuming from her last argument with the Lieutenant. "I wondered all damn day why he was riding me so hard, why he was being a complete asshole to me. And come to find out that it was all because of you. Matt, what the hell!" She yelled frustrated.

"Whoa, calm down. Okay?" He said as he stood ready to explain his actions.

"Calm down!? Matt being a candidate is hard enough. Plus being a woman firefighter in a male dominant profession, and being at a fire house where they are against me even being there. What in God's name would make you think jumping him at his firehouse would be a good idea, or a benefit to me!?"

"Gabby I went to talk to Welch after Chief gave us the news of your placement, before the accident. I was pissed because they had placed you with them and I felt like they were setting you up to fail and I couldn't stand to see that happen, not after how hard you worked to become a firefighter." Matt took a small step forward, but kept his distance, not wanting to piss her off more.

"I went there to talk to him and mentioned how you were going to be going there. He made some smart ass remarks and I got even more pissed. So I told him that we were together, he made some more crude remarks about me knowing that you would be able to perform all the "female duties" and I blew up. I told him that you weren't some snake that sneaked their way through the academy; that you fought for this. We got into it and it might have ended with me telling him that he needed his ass kicked." He said sheepishly.

Gabby scuffed and shook her head. "Seriously Matt?!"

"What do you want me to do? Apologies for defending you? Because that is not something that I am willing to do Gabby. I am not going to just sit back and watch that guy belittle you, especially while you are not around to defend yourself."

"So what, you are just going to come to my rescue playing macho man every time he steps out of line!?" She argued back.

"Look baby, I am sorry." He said sincerely.

"Yeah well sorry doesn't help the fact that my career there is pretty much ruined. Welch is never going to treat me fairly after this." Gabby shook her head and turned to grab her coat before making her way back to the front door she had just made her way through a few minutes ago.

"Where are you going?" He asked following her into the hall.

"Out!" She yelled back, slamming the door behind her.

Matt winced as the door slammed loudly and looked around the empty apartment wondering how things had changed so drastically in the past 24 hours.

**Review Review Review! Pretty please. Would love to have 10 reviews before I upload the next chapter. Reviews feed the muse my wonderful readers! **


	4. Deep Inside I'm Bleeding

"So you just walked out?" Shay asked with a hint of laughter in her voice as she listened to Gabby explain her and Casey's fight.

"Yes. God, I know I am a horrible bitch. But, Ugh. Shay I'm just so angry. You should have heard the way Welch was talking to me and treating me yesterday. It was awful."

Shay shook her head. "Well actually." Shay looked away a little embarrassed. "Rafferty and I responded to the fire over on Riverside Drive yesterday when they called in a second ambo. We got the tail end of the fight between you and Welch as we were loading the patient. That little boy; Gabs you saved his life." Shay said almost in awe. She was so used to seeing her best friend as PIC, by her side. When she showed up yesterday and could hear yelling over the radio about Dawson finding a boy and bringing him out. She was kind of amazed.

Gabby blushed. "I know, it was amazing Shay. When I heard that boy in there I just went for it. Welch was yelling at me the whole time, because other guys on truck had already swept the room, but I heard him in there. I just don't know what to do about all of this." She said frustrated. "I mean do I just sit and take it while he talks me down and uses my relationship with Casey against me. Do I fight back with him? Or do I find a new house."

"I don't know babe. Ugh!" She sighed as she threw her head back on the couch. "This would all be so much easier if you could have just came to 51."

Gabby nodded, completely agreeing with her.

The girls continued to talk well into the afternoon and Dawson was finally starting to feel better. She had missed Shay while she was on shift. She had never had a problem with being the only girl at 51 if Shay wasn't on shift, but at 67 it was different. There wasn't one man in that house that wanted her there. While some weren't vocal about it, they didn't need to be, she could tell.

Shay laughed loudly at something Dawson said just as Kelly made his way down the stairs with Erin Lindsay following behind him, both still in their sleep attire.

"Jesh, have either of you two been to bed yet?" Kelly asked as he made his way into the kitchen, pouring a cup of coffee for Erin and then one for himself.

"Nope." Shay laughed looking at the clock on the wall. "Crap. It's already 1:30; I bet Casey is worried sick about you."

"Crap." Gabby said as she dug through her purse finding her phone and seeing 4 missed calls from Casey.

"I text him around 11 and let him know you were here when I heard you two down here giggling like school girls." Kelly explained. "He called me and asked if I had seen you."

"Thanks Kelly." Gabby said. "I guess I should go." She said getting up and putting her coat on. "Thanks again Shay, I needed this." She pulled Shay into a hug and walked towards the door. "See you all at Molly's tonight?" She questioned in which all three occupants shook their heads yes.

"See ya Dawson. And go easy on the guy, he was just looking out for you." Kelly said. When Casey called him looking for Gabby he had explained what had happened between the two leading her to his apt.

Dawson nodded her head. "Thanks Kelly. Bye Erin. See you all tonight."

Shay made her way into the kitchen and sat down on a stool next to Kelly and Erin. "You better get some sleep or you won't make it through a night at Molly's." Kelly laughed, nudging Shay's shoulder.

"I'm worried about them." Shay admitted.

Kelly sighed, but nodded. "Yeah me too."

Erin's phone rang on the counter and she excused herself before going out in the other room to answer it.

"This is all really killing Gabby. She told me that Welch is constantly making comments about how "she is riding on Casey's coat tails," like she didn't fight for this at all." Kelly shook his head and felt anger rise up in him. He was Dawson's instructor in the academy, he watched her work her ass off to get where she is. "I just don't understand what that guy's problem is."

Kelly nodded. "I mean I know it sucks what he is doing, and Dawson sure as hell doesn't deserve it. But, you don't think he would do anything like, physical to hurt her would he?"

Shay looked at him carefully, that thought had never crossed her mind, but now it wouldn't go away. "I. I mean, I guess I don't know. I don't know that guy well enough. This has got to just be a work thing though right? Why would he really have it out for Gabs? She hasn't done anything to him."

Kelly nodded. But he was still a little worried. He didn't know Lt. Welch, and although he didn't want to know him well, he wished he did so he could have a better read on the guy. "I don't know Shay. All I'm saying is this guy has it out for Dawson. I understand he didn't want a woman firefighter because of past experience, but this seems like more than that."

Shay thought for a moment. "The candidate they had at 67 before Dawson, she filed a grievance against the guys there right?" Kelley nodded yes. "What exactly was the problem?"

"I don't know, but maybe it is time we find out." Kelly said.

Shay made her way up stairs to sleep before their night out at Molly's and Kelly picked up the glasses and plates left from her and Dawson's lunch before depositing them into the sink just as Erin walked back into the room completely dressed.

"I've got to go in, Voight got something on this big case we have been working on." She said apologetically.

"No worries, still see you tonight?" He questioned as he walked to her and placed his hands on her hips, giving her a soft kiss.

"Yeah this shouldn't take long to long. I'll meet you there later if it does."

Kelly pulled her into a hug and walked her to the door. "Oh, uh, before I forget. Do you remember every hearing anything about a problem over at firehouse 105 last year, between a female firefighter and her Lt.?"

Erin thought for a moment. "Uhm, I don't remember anything right now. Why what's up?"

"There was a female candidate their before Dawson, and she filed a grievance against a couple of the guys there."

"And you want to know what it was about?" She questioned with a smirk.

Kelly nodded sheepishly. "Yeah. This Lt. is a real jerk. We are all just trying to look out for Dawson."

Erin smiled. "I'll look into it. Why doesn't Dawson just switch houses?"

Kelly laughed. "Casey tried that. Dawson is stubborn. She doesn't want to let this Lt. win. I can't say I blame her."

Erin nodded her understanding and the couple said their goodbyes. Kelly finished picking up downstairs before making his way back to his bed to catch a bit more sleep before their night out.

…

"Matt?" Gabby questioned as she walked through their apt door.

She walked through the foyer and into the kitchen. "Matt?" She questioned again. She made her way into the living room and a smile came to her lips when she seen him passed out on the couch, still in his clothes from this morning.

She walked over to him and sat down on the coffee table across from him, running her fingers through his hair and watched him stir.

He let out an adorable sigh before opening his eyes. "Hey." He whispered when he realized she was sitting there.

"Hi." She said softly with a smile.

"I'm sorry." They both said at the same time, and both chuckled.

Matt pulled her to him and placed a loving kiss on her lips.

"I am sorry. I shouldn't have went to Welch, whether it was with good intentions or not. I should have let you handle yourself and only have stepped in if you asked."

Gabby nodded. "I understand why you did it Matt. You were looking out for me, as much as I wish you wouldn't have, I understand. And I don't blame you. I'm sorry for yelling." She said scrunching her nose adorably, and if Matt hadn't already forgave her before she had even walked through the door, then he definitely would have after that.

"Come on." She said as she pulled on his hand, leading him to their bedroom. They both changed into some comfy clothes before crawling into bed together, tangling their limbs together and pulling each other close.

Matt placed a kiss on the top of Gabby's head. "I love you."

She looked up into his eyes. "I love you too, baby."

Matt kissed her lips lovingly. "Get some sleep baby. I have a feeling it is going to be a long night at Molly's." Gabby laughed as response, but had the same feeling.

…

The crowd in Molly's only seemed to grow bigger as the night wore on and Gabby was really wondering how this many people could fit into such a small space.

_This has got to be a fire hazard. _She thought looking around as another couple walked through the door. _Huh, cops called to Molly's bar for a fire hazard. Oh did we mention it was owned by 3 firefighters? _Gabby thought chuckling to herself lightly.

"Hey girl, can I get another beer?" Shay asked plopping down on a stool sloppily, kicking Gabby out of her thoughts.

She laughed at Shay. "Sure you don't need a water?"

The blonde looked at her with her mouth hung open. She scuffed. "No. Mother."

Gabby shook her head and handed Shay another beer which she eagerly took a gulp out of. "Thanks bartender lady." She said drunkenly before winking at Gabby and making her way back over to the table that Severide, Capp, Hermann, Otis, Mills, Rafferty, and Cruz were all sat.

Dawson finished cleaning out the glasses she had been working on before Shay had come to her then began to get a few people some beers.

"Hey you." Gabby heard from behind her and turned to find Matt standing there giving her a drunken smile.

"Hey yourself." She laughed at his glazed over smile.

It wasn't often that the men and women from 51 hit the drinks this hard, but tonight apparently it was a trend everyone was following.

Matt stumbled as some knocked into him from the much to large crowd and then turned his attention back to Gabby. "It is crazy in here."

"Yeah it is." She replied.

Matt put his hand over Gabby's and leaned over to give her a kiss, but stopped with his lips only an inch from hers. "Another beer please."

Gabby pulled away with wide eyes, shocked before slapping his arm as they both laughed. "You jerk." She giggled as she grabbed him a beer.

He laughed hysterically at himself and Gabby shook her head before placing the beer down on the bar. He leaned in again and placed a passionate kiss to her lips igniting a few cat calls from their drunk friends behind them. Matt pulled away to see Gabby blushing before he leaned forward and pecked her lips. "I love you." He smiled.

Before Gabby could answer another blonde man caught her eye as he came up beside Matt. "Lt. Casey. Dawson." He said giving the couple a short nod.

"Lt. Welch." Gabby said politely, but with a cold look in her eye.

Matt said nothing, but starred ahead with his jaw clenched, afraid that saying anything or even looking at the smug look on the others Lieutenant's face could end badly for the both of them.

Gabby turned walked to the other end of the bar to get Welch his drink that he ordered leaving the two men alone.

"Cooks, cleans, and serves you a drink. Guess maybe you were right when you said I was lucky to have Dawson as my candidate." Welch said smugly and Casey felt his blood boil as he watched him staring at his girlfriends as she walked away.

Casey stood up pushing his stool back, not caring that it went toppling to the ground and that almost everyone's eyes in the bar were now on them. He was face to face with Welch and could still feel his blood boiling from his comment and all the other comments he had ever made about his girlfriend or himself. "I suggest you get the hell away from me Welch." Matt said, his voice dangerously low.

Welch stood his ground, getting impossibly closer to Casey. "Or what _Lieutenant_? Afraid your girlfriend may realize she needs a real man in her life." He said.

Casey saw red, and never replied, instead his fist connected with Welch's eye, knocking him backwards into the bar. "Casey!" He heard Severide holler behind him, then felt a fist connect with his jaw.

After that everything became a flurry of punches between him and Welch and hollering from the guys around him.

"Casey!" Severide yelled as he got a hold of Matt and he and Mills held him back while Cruz and Otis held Welch back. Hermann stood between the men and pointed a finger at Welch.

"You need to leave!" He hollered at him pointing to the door.

Welch spit the blood that was coming out of his mouth to the floor before shrugging off Cruz and Otis roughly. Gabby stood beside Matt, Severide and Mills and watched the scene unfold in front of her.

Welch shook his head before looking up at them. He gave one last glare at Casey before winking at in Gabby's direction. "See you at work Dawson." He said and the guys struggled to hold Casey back again as he lunged forward. Welch chuckled as he got a rise out of Casey again before walking out of the bar and not looking back.

Casey shrugged the guys off of him as Gabby and Shay both came to stand in front of him. Gabby had tears in her eyes, and he felt bad for obviously making her worried and possibly angry.

Gabby shook her head at him and he noticed she was visibly shaking, before she took off for the bathroom, Shay right behind her.

"Gabby…" He said. _Fuck._ _You thought she was mad at you for talking to him before, just wait until we get home. _He thought to himself.

"You alright man?" Severide asked as he noticed a cut on his friends lip and a bruise starting around his eye.

"Yeah I'm fine." He said. "Thanks guys." He said to Mills and Severide for pulling him off of him.

"No problem man. That guy had it coming." Mills said.

Casey nodded to him. "That's for sure."

"I don't know if Dawson's gonna see it that way." Hermann said.

Casey sighed before shaking his head and sitting down at the bar, knowing that going after Gabby is probably not in his best interest and she will come to him when she is done having her time with Shay to cool down.

Everyone went back to their business and the guys at 51 sat around the bar nursing a beer talking quietly to themselves. Casey watched as Dawson made her way around the bar. She grabbed a bag of ice and a shot of whiskey before making her way to him. She laid the bag of ice in his hand before sliding the whiskey to him.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Ice is for the pain you are going to be feeling tomorrow. Whiskey is for the pain now." She said raising her brow at him, almost daring him to challenge her.

He laughed lightly before throwing the shot back. "You're the one that was the paramedic." He said.

He looked at her carefully. "Hey." He said making her eyes meet his. "You okay?" He questioned.

She sighed and rested her hand on his. "As much as I want to be mad at you Matt, I can't. I heard what he said to you and I know that you just want to protect me. As much as it sucks that I have had to go through this at work with him, I guess I never really took into consideration that you were going through it too. I'm sorry."

"Hey, hey, you have nothing to be sorry about baby. None of this is your fault." He said squeezing her hand.

"I think you were right all along." She sighed.

"Can I get that in writing?" He joked and she laughed.

"Matt…"

"About what baby?" He questioned.

"I should have never went to Austin. I should have switched houses like you suggested in the first place."

"It's not too late Gabby."

"I know I just. I said I wouldn't let him break me." She said defeated.

"Baby this is completely different than what either of us thought it would be. This isn't just a Lt. being hard on his candidate. Welch has it out for you and for me. Stepping away does not mean he breaks you, Gabby. You know that this is different."

Gabby nodded and gave him a small smile. "Thank you."

"Of course. I'll talk to chief tomorrow, maybe he can help get something worked out for you at a different house."

"Any chance he can get me back at 51?" She laughed.

Casey shook his head. "You, me, and all the guys there wish."

51 closed the bar down that night, helping Gabby, Hermann, and Otis clean up before making their way home. Some called cabs, others called their significant others. Gabby had just finished dropping off Shay, Severide, and Erin at the apt. building before making her way through the streets of Chicago to her and Matt's apt.

She looked over at hi in the passenger seat sleeping peacefully and couldn't help but smile. It had been almost 2 months since the accident and over 3 weeks since Gabby had woken up from her coma, but they had yet to broach the subject of the proposal.

Gabby didn't feel like it was her place to bring it up to him. That when he was ready to do it again he would. She was afraid of asking him about it and ruining it, but to say she was starting to wonder about it, would be an understatement.

A big understatement.

They pulled up in front of their apartment and Gabby turned to Matt. "Matt, baby." She ran a hand through his hair as he began to wake up. "We're home."

They both made their way up the stairs to the apartment and Gabby fumbled with the keys as Matt stood behind her, his hot breathe on the back of her neck distracting her from the task at hand.

_Damn door._

Gabby fumbled with the lock and almost dropped the keys for a third time as Matt pulled her jacket away from her neck and placed a kiss there.

She let out a soft moan and Matt laughed at the affect he was having over her.

"Need some help?" He mumbled in her ear, watching her shake, as his hand closed over hers pushing the key in the lock with ease and turning it while keeping his lips attached to her neck.

They had not been intimate since before Gabby was in the coma, if you asked Gabby about it she would say, it was not for a lack of trying. Matt simply would tell her she needed to heal, but in all honesty he was scared of breaking her. After seeing her in that hospital bed lying motionless for so long, she just seemed so fragile to him. After hearing about her fighting fires and knowing that she had gotten hurt on the job, no matter how minor, the thought of her being fragile had been wiped out of his memory.

His girl was tough. A firefighter. She was a bad ass. And tonight he intended on treating her like one.

Gabby pushed the door open quickly and the rest was a blur of clothes flying, declarations of love, and very, very heated touches.

Two days later Gabby and Matt were carrying out there same daily routine getting ready for work.

Gabby was leaning against the counter reading the paper when Matt came down the stairs with his bag and placed it on the table before getting himself a cup of coffee.

"There's eggs and bacon." Gabby stated pointing to the pan on the stove.

Matt leaned over her to grab a plate from the cupboard and kissed the side of her head. "You're so good to me." He said, dishing up his plate.

"You nervous?"

"For what?" She questioned.

He shrugged. "Final shift at 105."

"I'll be happy to get out of there." She sighed. "I'm a little nervous about seeing Welch for the first time since you kicked his ass."

Matt smirked. "I didn't kick his ass."

Gabby only shrugged as response before turning back to the paper.

Matt got up from the table and turned her around to face him, wrapping his arms around her. "You know I love you right."

Gabby looked at him carefully, wondering where he was going with this. "Yeah, of course."

He kissed her forehead gently. "Have you gotten your new assignment yet?"

"Nope. Floating until further notice. The only houses available right now are 51 and 43, which is like an hour and a half away from here. So, no luck yet."

Matt sighed. "Any chance we can just give me a disguise so the guys won't know and just put me at 51?"

He laughed and picked her up placing her on the counter and stood between her legs. "Like I said the other night, You, Me, and all the guys there wish."

He kissed her lips and gave her a smile.

"We should get going." She said jumping down from the counter and turning the coffee pot off.

Matt followed her out the door with both their bags in his hand. He placed hers in her car before giving her a kiss that was far from PG. "Be careful, I love you."

"You too. I love you." She replied.

"If Welch gives you too hard of a time, let me know. I can take care of him again." He winked before turning back to his truck.

Gabby only laughed before getting into her car and driving away.

…

It was nearing the end of her shift and the house was very quiet, except for the sound of the TV in the common room. Gabby had just finished cleaning the showers for the second time that shift. A "parting gift" from Welch.

They had only had 3 calls all shift, non in which were very severe, and Gabby was kind of happy for that, it made less time to be around Welch. She had only seen him on calls and when she had made the meals for the guys. Otherwise he had been nonexistent, which was fine with her.

When she had gotten to work and could see the he still had a pretty big bruise on his eye and a cut on his jaw she had to hide her smile and refrain from mentioning to the guys what had happened to him when she overheard them talking about it.

She had text Matt about it, and he was very proud of himself, since he only had a little cut on his lip that was quickly fading.

Gabby made her way through the common room where all the guys were and down the hall to the Lieutenant's office to hand him her paperwork for her transfer.

…..

"Casey!"

Matt turned in his chair to his office when he seen Shay and Severide running up to him.

"Woah, what's wrong guys?" He questioned worried.

Shay and Severide shared a look and he could see the worried expressions on their faces.

"What is going on?" He questioned again.

"I just got a call from Erin." Matt sat up straighter.

"Okay?" He questioned, not sure where they were going with all this.

"After Gabby showed up at the Apt. the other day Shay and I were really worried about her and about what this Welch guy was capable of. And then we remembered that the last female firefighter there filled a grievance there, so I had Erin look into it."

Matt nodded digesting the information. "And?"

"She accused Welch of sexual harassing her. Filed charges against him for raping her." Shay said.

Matt's eyes went wide. "Why the hell is he not in jail then?" He said standing up, ready to go over there and get Gabby.

"She dropped the charges. Said she lied about it. But Erin said that she was bullied into dropping the charges. So Shay and I got a hold of this girl. Casey she was just like Dawson. She had been seeing another guy from a different house, Welch and this guy got in a fight apparently they knew each other from the academy. The girl said Welch attacked her, in the fire house, and when she reported it he came after her. So she dropped the charges, and moved away."

Casey grabbed his coat and his car keys. Severide and Shay close behind him. "I'm going to get Gabby."

"We are coming with you." Kelly said following closely behind.

….

"Lt. Welch?" Dawson said knocking on his door.

"Dawson." He said not looking up from the papers in front of him. "What do you want?" He questioned.

She held the papers up in her hand. "Just wanted to bring you my transfer papers before shift was over." She said handing them to him.

He grabbed them and looked them over. "See here I thought maybe you'd be going back to 51 to be with Casey." He said smugly.

Dawson clenched her jaw, but stayed silent. _Just sign the damn papers._

"You know Dawson, I was wrong about you. I didn't think you'd make it a shift, but no, you made it two. Impressive, I must say. Guess I was right all along not wanting another woman firefighter, all they do is choke." He laughed as he watched her. Arms crossed, jaw clenched, eyes dark and cold.

He signed the paper and stood up with them in his hands coming to stand in front of his desk, right in front of Dawson. She took a step away from him and he laughed to himself.

"You know Dawson, I see what Casey see's in you. You cook, you clean, you serve him a drink." Dawson glared at him again.

He passed the papers over to her and she took them while turning around. "Have fun riding on Casey's coattails the rest of your life Dawson. We both know that's the only way you are getting anywhere as a firefighter." Dawson stopped in the doorway ready to defend herself, but instead shook her head, wanting to just get away from him and go to the locker room to change and go home.

She had only made it a couple more steps before she heard him behind here again.

"Hey Dawson, one last thing." She turned around and he was right behind her. Before she could react he pulled her back into his office and pushed her up against the wall roughly. She gasped and cried out in pain. Her eyes went wide with terror as he slammed his door closed and locked before pushing against her and holding her hands above her head pinning her against the wall completely. She cried out in pain as her still burnt back hit the rough wall. And screamed out for help. Welch laughed and covered her mouth.

"Come on Dawson, how about you leave this house with a bang." He sneered unbuckling her pants.

….

"Dammit!" Casey yelled as he heard Gabby's voicemail once again. She always had her phone on her on shift.

"Maybe they are on a call." Shay tried to reason.

"She gets off shift in 10 minutes. The second shift would be there already and have taken a call. She was just answering my texts 30 minutes ago." Matt swerved through another car, breaking every single traffic law there could possibly by as he made the 20 minute drive to Austin. "Something is wrong."

…

Gabby felt the tears run down her cheeks as she tried to fight against him, but she was over half his size and was not getting anywhere.

She felt him sliding her pants down her legs and whimpered trying to yell out, but his hand was firmly over her mouth, muffling anything she tried to say.

Gabby lifted her knee up forcefully trying to knee him, but missed, and only angering Welch more. He pushed his hand that was over her mouth roughly as her head hit the wall hard everything went black.

***hiding behind computer***

**Will Casey get there in time? How will that hit to Dawson's head affect her? Will Welch get caught at all? Will Gabby make it out in time?**

**REVIEW and all those questions will be answered! If I get about 10 reviews I will post within the next couple of days. **

**Thank you for all of the support this story is getting. I am really enjoying writing it, so I hope you are all enjoying reading it!**

**Review, Review, Review!**


	5. Recovery Part 1

**Here is part 1 of this 2 part chapter, part 2 should be up in the next few days. Enjoy!**

Casey burst through the doors of Firehouse 105 with Kelly and Shay hot on his heels. He all but sprinted into the common room where the men that he recognized from Gabby's shift were all standing in their civilian clothes.

"Where is she?" He questioned.

They all raised their heads and looked around. Casey watched as they all just shrugged and felt his worry and anger growing more.

"I said where is she!?" He yelled.

One of the guys stood up. "Last I knew she was cleaning the showers. She's probably in changing out."

Casey only nodded and ran down the hall to their locker room.

Kelly looked at the men, and noticed a man missing. "Where is Welch?"

"Probably in his office." The same man said pointing down the hall.

Kelly ran down the hall and found the room with the blinds drawn and the door closed. "Go get Casey." He said, knowing that Shay didn't need to see what he assumed was happening in there.

Kelly watched as she ran back down the hall to find Casey and he slammed his foot into the door and it bust open reviling his worst nightmare.

"What the hell…" Welch yelled as the door bust open, dropping Gabby to the ground.

Kelly tackled him to the ground landing punch after punch to any part of his body he could reach.

"You sick son of a bitch! How does it feel! Huh?" He yelled. He got up and kicked him in the side once before rushing over to Gabby.

"Dawson?" He said softly. He felt for a pulse and was happy to find it there beating strong. He quickly pulled her pants up, not wanting Shay or Casey to see her like this.

"Come on Dawson, wake up." He muttered grabbing her face. He felt the blood on his hand when he touched the back of her head and saw red again. "Dammit. Come on Gabs."

"Oh my God." Kelly looked up to see the man that had talked to them in the common room staring at him wide eyed.

"Go get your paramedics! Now!" He yelled and watched as the man ran off.

"Kelly!" He heard Shay yell as she rounded the door way. "Oh my God. Gabby." She said as tears pricked her eyes.

"Gabby!" Matt yelled pushing past her and getting down on the floor pulling Gabby into his arms.

He watched as her eyes opened wide with fear and she began looking around. She let out a moan of terror and pain and Matt swore he felt his heart break. "You're okay baby, I got you. You're okay." Matt whispered, trying to comfort her.

Matt watched realization cloud her features before she clung to him and began to sob into his shoulder. Matt cradled her in his arms and carried out bridal style to the apparatus floor and met the paramedics half way carrying her into the back of the ambulance.

He went to lay her down on the bed, but she cried out and held onto him even tighter. "Shh, it's okay, I've got you. I'm not going anywhere baby." He whispered into her hair as he sat down on the bed with her in his arms. "You're safe, I'm not going anywhere."

Casey looked out the back window as the ambulance pulled away and watched as Detective Voight walked a bloody Welch out to his car and slammed him down on the back of the vehicle before opening the door and throwing him into the back of the car.

…

Antonio ran through the E.R. and up to the front desk. He pulled out his badge and flashed it at the nurse. "Gabriella Dawson? I'm her brother. Where is she?"

The nurse looked down before looking up at him sympathetically. "Trauma room 2."

He nodded before making his way into the room where the sight nearly broke his heart. Gabby was curled into a ball on her side with Matt laying in the much to small bed beside her holding her close.

Matt looked over as he saw him enter the room and carefully crawled out of bed. He placed a kiss to Gabby's head and Antonio watched him whisper something in her ear before guiding him out of the room.

"Matt, what the hell is going on? I get a call from Voight that my sister was hurt and the I need to get to the hospital immediately and he will meet me there?"

"Lt. Welch" Matt spat the name before pausing to compose himself. "He, he attacked her, and he…" Matt cleared his throat as a lumped formed, not wanting to say the words out loud. "He, uh, he raped her Antonio."

Antonio only saw red. His fist cleaned and his jaw squeezed tight. "I'll kill him."

"Not if I beat you too it." Casey said honestly. Wanting the man that hurt his girl so badly to pay for what he did.

"Where is he?"

"Voight took him down to your district, then he and Lindsey are coming here to question Gabby. They said this wasn't really their department, but they wanted Gabby to have a familiar face, and figured it is what you would want as well." Matt explained as he looked in to the room at Gabby in a sedated sleep.

Antonio only nodded before his eyes landed on his sister as well. "How is she?" He questioned.

"Terrified. Kelly, uh found them. And once I got into the room she woke up, she hasn't let me leave her since. She's scared. They had to sedate her, for her own good."

Antonio shook his head. Not wanting to believe any of this could be true. His baby sister, his tough, strong, single minded, caring, sweet baby sister, was… raped.

It didn't make sense to him how anyone could ever lay a hand on her. Gabby was the sweetest girl he knew, had been since the day she was born.

He was knocked out of his thoughts when Voight and Lindsey walked up to him. Lindsey put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Hey, you okay?" She questioned.

"Fine, just worried about Gabs."

Lindsey nodded in understanding before directing her attention to Casey. "How about you, doing alright?"

Matt nodded, but kept his eye on Gabby still sleeping in the hospital bed. "Just don't understand what kind of monster could ever lay a hand on her."

"Don't worry, he's going down." Voight said. Casey looked at him and his eyes immediately fell to his hands that were stained red. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what Voight had done. While Matt knew he should not trust Voight and avoid him at all costs, he also knew that if he wanted justice for Gabby, Voight was the way to go, so instead he nodded to him.

Matt listened in as Antonio talked to Voight and Lindsey about the case they would be building on Welch and the questions that would be best to ask Gabby. They had begun to argue about who should be in the room when they questioned her.

Antonio argued that he was her brother and she would be most comfortable talking to him about it. Lindsey argued back that she would anything but comfortable talking to a male, let alone her brother, about a situation like this, and that she would be the best one to be in there. That Gabby knew her and trusted her.

Voight was against the both of them saying it should be him because the both of them were too close to this, that he would be the best one to put in there.

Matt listened to them argue, but never took his eyes off of Gabby. He watched her carefully and couldn't wrap his head around how anyone could ever hurt her.

Gabby had saved his life more times than he could count in the 7 years that he had known her. She helped him after Darden died, she came to his rescue after Hallie, helped him with his Mom's hearing, she was his saving grace when he had custody of the Darden boys, and she had taken care of him after his accident. She constantly was picking him up when he was down.

And now Gabby had been in the hospital 3 times in the past 2 months and he wasn't there to save her from any of it. He wasn't there with her when that building exploded. He wasn't there when she was burnt in the fire under Welch's watch. He wasn't there when Welch hurt her. When he took something from her.

He wasn't there.  
He couldn't save her from any of it.

Matt was knocked out of his thought when he heard Gabby's screams through the glass window in front of him.

He raced into the room and too her side listening as she cried out for help, for _him_ to stop.

"Gabby, baby, I'm right here. I'm right here with you." He said pulling her into his arms and trying to comfort her. Gabby began to push him away still in shock.

"No, stop! Don't please." She cried, shoving Matt away from her.

"Gabby. It's me. It's Matt. You are safe." He grabbed her shoulders shaking her lightly, trying to wake her from her state.

Realization suddenly hit her features and she clung to Matt for dear life. Wrapping her arms around his torso and pulling him close.

Matt held her close and whispered into her ear. "You're safe. I'm here baby. I promise I won't ever let anything happen to you."

….

"Gabby are you sure this is a good idea?" Matt asked as he watched her from the doorway, moving around their room putting clothes into a bag.

"Uh hu." Was her only reply as she continued to pack.

"Gabby." Matt said trying to get her attention as he stepped into the room fully now.

"What?" She said exasperated.

"Would you stop and just talk to me for a minute?!" He said in frustration as he walked up to her and laid his hands on her shoulders.

Gabby stopped and stared at him.

"Gabby it's only been 4 days. Don't you think you should take some more time…"

"Some more time for what Matt?" She said throwing her arms up as she turned away from him. "Some more time to sit here and do nothing. To sit here and think about…" She stopped feeling the lump in her throat forming. "To think about what he did, what he took away from me." She said with thick emotion.

Matt watched her carefully, but kept his distance. This was the most she had opened up to him since that day and he really did not want to ruin it. "Gabby…" He said softly with tears in his eyes.

She wiped the tears with the back of her hand and roughly zipped her bag before slinging it over her shoulder.

"It's one shift at 51 as PIC. I promised chief I would pick it up before any of this happened. I'll be fine." She walked past him towards the door. "Come on we are going to be late."

With that she was out the door. Bottled up tight like she had been for the past few days.

…..

The car ride to the station was deafly quite. Matt not knowing what to say to help her, to make it better. And Gabby not wanting to talk about it. Not wanting to face it or deal with it at all.

She got out of the truck and grabbed her bag. Making her way into 51 with Matt beside her. She walked through the doors and a smile instantly fell across her face at the normal scene in front of her.

Mouch was sitting in his usual spot on the couch, feet up on the table and remote in hand. Hermann and Otis were sitting at the table already into a morning round of chat about Molly's.

Cruz was behind the counter attempting to make breakfast while Mills was at his side trying to fix whatever mess he had made.

Casey kissed her forehead before making his way to his office, telling her he would see her in a bit.

Gabby stood in the door way happy to be back at 51, even if it were for only one shift.

She made her way to the locker room before any of the guys could see her, happy to be back, but not ready to face them all yet. She wasn't even sure if any of them knew that she was going to be here for this shift.

Gabby was in the middle of changing and paused catching her reflection in the full body mirror, her eyes immediately going to the nasty bruise on her hip bone the made its way down her right thigh. Her eyes travelled down to the perfect hand print bruise on her left thigh and then back up to the matching bruise on her forearm.

"_You know Dawson I see what Casey see's in you…"_

"… _all they do is choke…"_

"_Have fun riding on Casey's coat tails…"_

"_Come on Dawson, how about you leave this house with a bang…"_

"Dawson…"

Gabby jumped at the sound of her name. Her breathing ragged as she came back to the present. She whipped around to see Kelly Severide standing a few feet away, his eyes wide staring at her bruised body.

Gabby quickly pulled her shirt over her head and grabbed her pants hastily pulling them up her legs.

"Dawson…" Kelly said again stepping in to the locker room more now.

"Hey Kelly." She said turning back to her locker and throwing her bag into it before looking into the mirror in her locker pulling her hair up into a pony tail.

"Dawson are you…"

"Fine. I'm fine. See you out there Kelly." She said closing her locker and grabbing her jacket making her way past him quickly. He grabbed her wrist turning her around to talk to her.

"_Hey Dawson, one more thing…" _

Gabby whipped around quickly pulling her hand away roughly. "Stop." She said scared as she stepped back away from him running into the lockers.

"Gabby…" Kelly said concerned as he watched the tears come to her eyes and the inner battle going on in her head.

She closed her eyes taking a deep breath, trying to control the thoughts in her head and her erratic breathes.

"_You know Dawson, I was wrong about you. I didn't think you'd make it a shift, but no, you made it two. Impressive, I must say. Guess I was right all along not wanting another woman firefighter, all they do is choke." _

_She turned around and he was right behind her. Before she could react he pulled her back into his office and pushed her up against the wall roughly. She gasped and cried out in pain. Her eyes went wide with terror as he slammed his door closed and locked before pushing against her and holding her hands above her head pinning her against the wall completely. She cried out in pain as her still burnt back hit the rough wall. And screamed out for help. Welch laughed and covered her mouth. _

"Dawson, you need to calm down. Do you want me to go get Casey?"

Her eyes flew open searching around her before meeting Kelly's worried face standing in front of her.

She raced out of the room and down the hall wanting to get away from his worried look and the demons inside of her.

…

Chief stood at the front of the briefing room as all of 51 sat at the tables ready to get their briefing into shift.

"Just a few thing to talk about, I'll make this quick." He stated, looking around the room at his family's faces.

Chief gave a quick briefing before getting to his last announcement just as Dawson stepped into the room. "And lastly, Dawson," he said pointing to the door where she had entered, "will be joining us this shift as PIC for Rafferty."

Everyone turned to Gabby and stared at her dumb struck for a moment. All of them knew what had happened and had not seen her since before the attack, save for Casey, Severide, and Shay who had been with her in the hospital.

Gabby met Casey's eyes not able to look at all of the concerned and shocked faces staring back at her. He gave her a light smile just as the men and Shay realized the silence and began to welcome her back.

"We are glad to have you back, Dawson." Chief said as he squeezed her shoulder comfortingly before making his way towards the door. "Dismissed." He said making his way out and to his office.

Gabby turned as well making her way to the common room for some coffee and wanting to get away from the questioning eyes around her.

Everyone soon followed her there silently assuming their previous places that they had been at when Gabby had first walked in.

Shay met Gabby at the coffee machine, holding her glass out for Gabby to pour her a cup as well.

"How are you?" She said concerned.

Gabby briefly met her eyes. "I'm fine." She said as she reached for the sugar shaker.

"Gabby-."

"I'm fine Shay." She said slightly raising her voice catching a few people's attention. She looked around noticing Casey was staring at her concerned before lowering her voice. "Can we just not talk about it?" She said pleadingly.

"Yeah because that helps." Shay said sarcastic.

Dawson met her eyes sternly. "Maybe it does, okay?"

Shay nodded and Gabby took that as her out and moved to the table taking a seat next to Severide and grabbing the paper going straight for the crossword.

"She's back 10 minutes and already claiming the crossword as hers again." Hermann joked.

"You know it." Gabby laughed as she continued her puzzle. Hermann rubbed her head with his knuckle.

"Good to have you back kid." He said with sincerity before giving her shoulder a caring squeeze.

_Ambulance 61… Woman in distress…. 844 12__th__ Ave…_

Gabby and Shay both jumped up from their seats and made their way out the door.

"You ready for this?" Shay asked as they jumped into the ambo.

"As I'll ever be." Gabby said honestly buckling her seat belt.

As they pulled up to the scene Gabby approached the woman who was standing in the middle of the street in torn and bloody clothes. Gabby slowly approached the distraught woman as she paced back and forth crying.

"Ma'am," the woman jumped and turned away from Dawson terrified. "Woah, woah, its okay. I'm a paramedic." She said taking a step closer. "Why don't you let me take a look at you? You're bleeding." She said taking a few cautious steps closer.

The woman began to cry more, but didn't move. Gabby stepped closer to her laying a hand on her shoulder slowly and watched as she jumped slightly. Her wild eyes meeting Gabby's. "Everything is alright. Come on, let's get you in the ambo."

The woman looked at Gabby terrified. "I can't." Gabby gave her a questioning look. "He told me if I told anyone he would kill me."

"Ma'am, you're safe now. We will take care of you."

The woman began to cry more. "You don't understand." She said sobbing. "He raped me."

Gabby took a step back. She felt like she had been kicked in the stomach. She watched the woman began to break down crying collapsing to her knees and Shay run up to her and began to treat her, sitting her on the chair lift and assessing her cuts and wounds.

"_Come on Dawson, how about you leave this house with a bang…"_

"Dawson." Shay said trying to get her attention.

_She felt him sliding her pants down her legs and whimpered trying to yell out, but his hand was firmly over her mouth, muffling anything she tried to say. _

"Gabby!" She yelled.

Gabby jumped and looked at Shay then back at the woman that Shay had sedated before jumping into action, not missing Shay's questioning and concerned looks the entire time.

…..

After packing up their gear from Lakeshore Dawson and Shay were on their way back to 51 on a silent ride.

"So are you going to tell me what happened back there?" Shay asked.

"It was nothing Shay."

"It's not nothing Gabby. You can fight this all you want. You can bottle it up and push Casey, and everyone else away as much as you want, but this is not nothing." Shay said in frustration.

Gabby looked at her for a moment before rolling her eyes and staring ahead. "I'm fine." She said simply.

"You are not fine! Dammit Gabby, you are not fine. This." She stated pointing between the two of them. "Is not fine. You are pushing Casey away. You are pushing me away. This happened 4 fucking days ago Gabby. You're not fine. This is not fine. What happened to you is NOT fine." Shay yelled.

Gabby went to reply, but paused looking around at the many faces staring back at them, as they had pulled into 51 with the windows down. Gabby jumped out of the rig and raced into the firehouse.

Severide walked straight up to Shay. "Shay, what the hell was that?" Kelly asked.

"She's not fine Kelly. You know it, I know it, and pretty soon she is going to have to face it. Unlike all of you I'm not going to let her bottle it up and become a shell of the person she used to be." She said making her way past him and into the firehouse as well.

**First off I just want to say THANK YOU to everyone that reviewed the last chapter. I asked for 10 and you gave me 28! 28 Reviews on 1 chapter! That is crazy! I'm so so happy that everyone is liking this story and so grateful for all of the support. **

**This chapter was a bit of a struggle to write and I am not 100% sure how I feel about it, so please leave me a review and let me know how you all like it. I would love to get another 28 reviews for this one! But I will settle for another 10 and will try and get part 2 up within the next couple of days again!**

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW my lovely readers**


	6. Recovery Part 2: I Shall Believe

**I just want to give a HUGE thank you to every single person that has reviewed, alerted, favorite, viewed, visited, and PMed me about this story. I love you all so much for all the support this story is getting. It is the best feedback I have ever gotten on a story and it truly means so much, so thank you all for this. **

**I do want to say a couple things though based off of some reviews I have received. Rape is a very serious matter, and I am taking this storyline very serious and do not want to down play the situation at all. Because there is no downplaying rape. It is an awful thing for any person to go through. Victims not only have to suffer through the experience, but if they report it they have to suffer through a rape kit, and explaining the story over and over again to countless people. A doctor, a cop, a detective, a judge, their family and friends: more people than you should ever have to tell your worst nightmare too. And if you actually catch the person that did it, you have to sit through a trial. Where you are questioned over and over again if you are telling the truth. **

**It is awful and I just want to say that my heart goes out to anyone that has ever had to experience such an awful thing. You are true fighters. **

**On another note I know that some of you don't agree with the fact that I have decided to lead my story in this direction, or feel as though Matt should have been there in time to stop Welch, but life is not easy and bad things happen. There can't always be a knight in shining armor to save the damsel in distress. While Gabby has a great support system, she still went through a horrific ordeal and has to deal with that on her own as well. I want my story to feel real and relatable. I want my characters to struggle, because life is a struggle, but watching someone pick their selves up from a struggle can be a beautiful thing and that is when you see a person's true strength. But don't worry, while life can be a struggle, it can also be beautiful, and there will definitely be some light at the end of the tunnel. **

**Sorry for this long AN! I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and know that I truly appreciate all your support. So please leave me a review and enjoy!**

**The song is "I Shall Believe" by Sheryl Crow. It is absolutely beautiful and I listened to it on repeat while writing this chapter and after realized just how beautifully it could blend in, so felt the need to add it in. I highly recommend it.**

_**Without further ado, **_

Recovery Part 2:

_Come to me now  
And lay your hands over me  
Even if it's a lie  
Say it will be alright  
And I shall believe_

"Gabby, wait up." Matt hollered as he chased after her. He rounded the corner after her and watched her make her way into the locker room.

He slowly made his way in behind her, not wanting to startle her and felt his heart breaking even more for the girl he loved as he saw her slide her way down the lockers pulling her knees to her chest and resting her head in her hands as sobs racked her body.

Matt walked towards her and slid his way down the lockers as well. "Gabby, baby…" He said softly.

She jumped throwing her head up, before meeting his blue eyes. He watched her lip quiver once again before she broke down into tears.

Matt felt a sense of relief wash over him as she fell into his side and he cautiously wrapped his arms around her body pulling her closer. "Shh, I got you." He whispered placing kisses to the top of her head.

He felt his own tears sliding down his cheeks as he held her close for the first time since she got home from the hospital. He didn't know where they went from here. How he had let things get to this point for her.

Right after the attack and in the hospital he had been her life line, the only person she would let close to her, and would cling to when things got dark. And then they got home and she pushed him away retreating into her shell. She wouldn't talk about it, and she would not let him close to her. The few times that he had caught her breaking down and tried to step in and help she would bottle it all back up and act like it never happened. And trying to force her to talk only pissed her off.

To have her in his arms now, letting him be her savior again was all he needed these past few days. He was struggling with this as well, but didn't want to show any of that to Gabby, he only wanted to focus on getting her better, but seeing her like this, and knowing that he didn't save her in time was hard on him.

He placed another kiss to her forehead as he heard her sobs start to seize. "Do you want to tell me what happened?" He questioned carefully.

"It was nothing Matt. Shay and I just got into it." She said with her head still resting on his shoulder.

"Gabby…" He pried.

She sighed heavily lifting herself off of his shoulder and leaning against the lockers. "I froze on the call and Shay was worried. The woman in distress she had been raped." She said not meeting his eyes. "I just froze and Shay had to take over. It's fine. I'm fine. I just needed a second to compose myself and then I jumped right back into it." She said trying to play it off as no big deal.

"Was it the same kind of 'fine' that happened this morning in the locker room with Severide?" He questioned.

She looked at him appalled. "He told you?"

"Babe, he was just worried and…"

She cut him off as she stood up. "He shouldn't have told you. It's none of his business." She said annoyed. Before making her way to the door. "I wish everyone would just leave me alone and quit worrying." She said in frustration as she made her way back out into the common room.

Matt slammed his head back into the lockers in frustration before getting up and making his way to his office for a little alone time.

_I'm broken in two  
And I know you're on to me  
That I only come home  
When I'm so all alone  
But I do believe_

Shift ended with only a few small calls for truck and squad and a couple more calls for ambo. Matt and Gabby made their way home and into their apt quietly.

Gabby had avoided him the rest of the shift and would not talk to Severide or Shay unless they were on a call and Matt was beginning to become frustrated with her behavior.

He made his way to the bedroom and changed his clothes hastily before crawling into bed and turning away from her side of the bed.

Gabby made her way into their room a little while after him. "Matt?" She questioned before noticing him fast asleep on his side.

She sighed before changing her clothes and crawling into bed as well. She knew that this was hard on him. And she knew that she was not the only one that was going through something. She could see him fighting an inner battle every time she looked at him.

He was blaming himself.

She could tell from the moment she laid eyes on him after the attack, she was just too consumed in her own demons to do anything about it. So she laid in bed as far away from Matt as possible, because although she knew that he wanted nothing more than to hold her in his arms, she didn't feel like she deserved that anymore.

She didn't feel as though she deserved him anymore.

___That not everything is gonna be the way  
You think it ought to be  
It seems like every time I try to make it right  
It all comes down on me_

Gabby woke up with a start to hear voices coming from down stairs and the other side of the bed cold and empty.

She wiped the sleep from her eyes before slowly crawling out of bed and throwing her hair up in a high messy bun before making her way down the stairs in her yoga pants and oversized shirt to see what was going on.

She paused at the top of the stairs as she heard Antonio's voice.

"I'm sorry Matt. Trust me if there was something I could do about it I would. I'm not sure where this guy is getting his money from, but we can't stop him from walking until this goes to trial, he paid his bail." He said in frustration.

Matt was pacing the entry way back and forth. "So what we are just supposed to sit here and let that bastard walk freely?! He raped her Antonio!" He said throwing his hands up in frustration. "He did this to her and he just walks freely." He laughed bitterly.

"Look man he's not walking freely. We just have to wait until they set a court date. He is not free. He has a GPS tracker on him that he can't take off. And I have a guy tailing his every move, off the books. He will not get away with it. I can promise you that. It's just a waiting game right now."

Matt nodded. "So what now? We are just supposed to sit here until they set a court date? How long could that take anyways?" He questioned.

"It's hard to say. It could be anywhere from a couple days, to weeks, to months." He sighed. "You really never know about these things."

"A couple months?" Gabby said finally stepping into the room.

"Gabby…" Both men said at the same time, not realizing she had been listening in the entire time.

"He's out there roaming the streets write now?" She questioned in disbelief.

"Look Gabby, it's not always black and white in these situations. You know what happened, we all know what happened, but the judge doesn't. She set a pretty high bail, but somehow he still managed to post it. I know this sucks, but right now we just need to focus on keeping you safe and you taking care of yourself. Preparing for a trail." Antonio said caringly.

Gabby stared at him for a moment so many thoughts and emotions swimming in her head, before nodding and making her way down the stairs and into the kitchen, grabbing herself a cup of coffee and walking back up the stairs to the bedroom.

_Please say honestly you won't give up on me  
And I shall believe  
And I shall believe_

Gabby spent the rest of the day lying in bed. Only moving from her spot to grab something to eat and use the bathroom.

She felt exhausted from the moment she got up and heard Antonio and Matt's conversation.

Matt had tried to talk to her on multiple accounts, but she had shut him down right away, opting to not talk at all.

She felt pathetic. She felt useless. Broken. Terrified. Ashamed. Lost…

She felt so many things that she couldn't even put into words or completely wrap her head around. So she lay there staring at the ceiling trying to figure out where to go from here. And when she had spent over 12hours lying in bed thinking she decided that trying to find that answer wasn't happening tonight.

So she through on some leggings and a baggy sweater and a pair of boots. Hastily pulling her hair up into another messy bun and grabbed her scarf and coat before making her way down stairs, not bothering with any make up, her appearance the farthest thing from her mind.

"Where are you going?" Matt asked as he sat on the couch with a beer in hand watching a Blackhawks games.

Gabby grabbed her keys off the hook. "I just need to get out of here for a bit. I won't be long." She said not turning to him.

Matt made to get up from the couch. "I can come with you." He offered. Not wanting her to be alone right now.

"No. I just…" She paused finally meeting his blue eyes. "I just need a little time Matt." She said softly.

He sighed, but nodded in understanding. Wanting to do anything that could possibly help her get herself back. "Okay." He conceded.

She made her way to the door. "Gabby." He called and she slightly turned back to him already half way out the door. "Be careful, please."

"I will." She said.

"I love you." He said.

She looked at him and nodded her head. "I know." She said before walking out the door, not able to say the words back right now. She felt anything, but loveable right now.

_Open the door  
And show me your face tonight  
I know it's true  
No one heals me like you  
And you hold the key_

Now 30 minutes later Gabby found herself at a local bar not far from Molly's nursing a shot of tequila and a lime, well multiple shots of tequila and a couple of limes.

She threw the shot back and felt the liquor burn the whole way down, relishing in the feeling. The feeling of actually feeling something other than numb and broken. She threw back another shot riding her mind of anything that had to do with the past few day's events, and then bit into the green lime.

She felt a presence beside her, but didn't bother to look. Preferring to keep invisible if at all possible.

"So, you a come her often?" An obviously drunken man slurred to her. Turning to laugh to his buddies a few tables away.

_You've got to be fucking kidding me._ She thought feeling the liquor taking hold of her as she replied.

"No actually. I usually don't go out and drink unless it's at my own bar not too far from her. But you see since I was raped the other day, I can't really bring myself to face all my friends." She said with venom in her voice. "How about you?" She said a cheeky grin covering her face before she reached over and threw back another shot.

She watched as the guy looked at her wide eyed before making his way back to his group of friends. _Yeah, that's what I thought._ She thought as she watched him walk away.

"Well I think he got the hint." Gabby heard a familiar raspy voice behind her and rolled her eyes.

"What did Matt send out the search party already?" She said angrily as she threw back her 10th, _maybe 12__th__? _Shot of tequila.

Erin laughed lightly before setting down at the bar stool next to a clearly drunken Gabby. "No, actually. I met an old friend here earlier for drinks and was just getting ready to leave when I saw you." She explained.

Gabby only nodded in return. Before taking another shot from the collection that the bartender just placed back in front of her. Erin glared at the man as he stepped away, clearly seeing that Gabby had already had more than enough. Her petite frame not use to holding this much heavy liquor in this short amount of time.

Erin looked at Gabby in concern as she watched her throw back two shots in record time. "You want to tell me why you are sitting at a dive bar at 10p.m. alone, throwing back shots like a crazy frat boy?"

Gabby chuckled humorlessly before leaning into Erin, as if telling her a secret. "Well you see about 5 days ago I was raped by my boss. You know, you were there, remember? You questioned me in the hospital." Her words dripping with sarcasm as she threw back another shot before reaching for another.

Erin pulled the next shot out of her hand as she brought it to her mouth. "Okay, I think you've had enough." She said.

"Hey, that was mine." Gabby hollered reaching for the drink.

"Yeah well I'm not going to watch you sit here and drink yourself under the table."

"Then don't sit here. I was doing perfectly fine before you showed up Erin." Gabby said curtly before turning and motioning for the bartender to come over.

Erin shook her head, not believing the side of Gabby she was seeing right now. Erin leaned in close. "Listen, you can push every one away that cares about you, you can drink yourself stupid, and you can retreat into a shell of the person you use to be and bottle everything up. You can let him win. You can let him hold onto the piece of you he took the minute he raped you. Or you can fight back. You can stand tall and let those people in that want to help, you can talk about it, cry about it, and deal with it. You can face this head on. You can take that piece of you back that he took. You can beat him, Gabby. But sitting here, doing this? You're letting him win. And you and I both know that is not who you are Gabriella Dawson."

Gabby felt tears well in her eyes as she listened to Erin speak and let her words sink in. She shook her head, not ready to face this yet.

"Yeah, what do you know about it anyways? Seeing other people go through it as a cop isn't the same as actually going through it." She said snippily.

Erin let out a humorless laugh before standing up and laying some money on the bar. "Yeah, well I've been in your shoes, as more than just a cop Gabby." She said shaking her head before turning and walking out the door.

Gabby watched her retreating form and turned back to the bar just as the bartender came up to her.

"More tequila?" He questioned as he grabbed the bottle.

"No." Gabby contemplated her next move. Her demons winning over. "What's your strongest alcohol?" She questioned.

_Never again would I turn away from you  
I'm so heavy tonight  
But your love is alright  
And I do believe_

Gabby felt the pounding in her head before she had even fully woken up.

She moaned in pain as she tried to open her eyes only to be greeted by more lighting then she cared for and the pounding in her head increased.

She opened her eyes finally and looked around not recognizing her surroundings. _Where the hell am I and how did I get here?_ She thought as she looked around still laying down and realized she was lying on a couch and was still fully clothed in her attire from last night.

"Here, take these." Gabby jumped as the voice drew her out of her thoughts, but sighed in relief when Erin Lindsay came into view with some pills and a bottle of water.

Gabby slowly sat up on the couch her hand immediately going to her head as the pounding somehow increased more with the change in positions and moaned in pain.

Erin held the pills out again. "Take these aspirin, they'll help."

Gabby laughed lightly, but took the pills. "I know, I am a paramedic." She said chasing them with the water. "Thanks."

"Yeah well did Paramedic school also teach you that large amounts of strong alcohol in a very short amount of time is not good for your body and may cause verbal diarrhea, a very bitchy Gabby, and pounding headache the next day?" Erin asked with a kinked brow and a smirk on her face.

Gabby winced, as the nights events came flooding back to her. From her snarky remarks to the drunken man, to her being an all-out bitch to Erin at the bar.

"I'm sorry." She said sincerely. Erin just only shrugged and laughed.

"Trust me it's fine." Erin chuckled. "I called Casey and let him know where you were. He was worried."

Gabby only nodded and looked around at her surroundings. "So is this your place?" She asked.

"No I actually murdered this old guy and buried him out back." Gabby looked at her cautiously. "Kidding." She laughed. "Yes this is my apartment."

Gabby chuckled softly shaking her head. "Yeah well you can never be too careful." Gabby said her mind drifting to dangerous places.

Erin watched as an inner battle go on inside of Gabby and sighed. Wanting desperately to help her out of this hole.

"You're strong enough to beat this Gabby. You and I both know it." She said sincerely.

Gabby shook her head as tears clouded her vision again. "I don't know about that." She said honestly.

Erin walked back around the couch and took a seat on the coffee table in front of Gabby.

"You are. Believe in that." She said.

Gabby looked at Erin carefully. "How did you?" She questioned. Erin looked at her questioningly.

"My memory of last night is a little foggy, but I do remember what you said." Erin nodded realizing what she was talking about. "How did you get past it? How did you beat him?" She asked.

Erin sighed before delving in. "I was 20 when it happened. Living alone in the city as one of Hanks CI's. Hadn't even thought about becoming a cop yet. I was walking home one night from a party at a friend's house when a guy just jumped me. Pulled me into an alley kicking and screaming and he raped me and beat me. It lasted all of 5 minutes before he took off." Erin took a deep breath before continuing. "I remember running back to my apt and calling Hank right away. He took care of me. I had only gotten a glimpse at the guy before he took off, but it was enough for me to make a description on him. For the longest times I slept with all the lights on in my apartment and would get up in the middle of the night to make sure the door was still locked. I carried a gun with me, and a Taser, and pepper spray. But none of that protected me from my own demons." Erin sighed. "One day I was at a drug store down the road picking up some things, when I saw him. He was outside talking to some of other boys. He met my eyes for a second and I watched as he smirked at me and winked, and I knew right then and there, that I wasn't going to let that smug little bastard control me. I wasn't going to let myself wallow anymore. I was going to beat him. And I did. I went to a therapist and started talking about it. I went to school and became a cop. I hit the gym, so that I knew I'd be strong enough to fight back if anything like that ever happened to me again. I focused on me, and made me the best me I could be. And I've got to say, I did a pretty damn good job." She chuckled at her own joke and was happy to hear Gabby laugh lightly as well.

"It's doesn't mean it wasn't hard. Because it was. I still have nightmares sometimes, but they are far and few between. Gabby it took me a few months to step out of the darkness because I wouldn't let anyone in, and save for Hank, I had no one around me to help me out of that darkness. Don't be like me and take months before you start to fight back. You have an amazing support system. Casey. Antonio. Shay. Severide. 51. And you've got me. You can face this head on Gabby and when it's too much let some of that weight rest on the people around you. That is what we are here for. Just do not let the bastard win."

Gabby let out a frustrated sigh. "I just, I feel so… filthy." Gabby let the tears she had tried hard to keep away spill over and run down her cheeks. "I knew he was an awful person, and I should have looked after myself better, but I let him catch me off guard. I let him over power me." Gabby let out a sob and Erin rested a comforting hand on her shoulder, urging her to go on.

"Every time I close my eyes I see him there, laughing at me, taunting me. I see him pushing me up against that wall and I can feel his hands on me and… God I just want it all to stop." Gabby said in frustration.

"I want to let everyone in, I do." She cried meeting Erin's eyes. She nodded and squeezed Gabby's shoulders. Tears running down her face as well, the emotions getting the better of her. "I just don't feel like I deserve any of them. Casey, and Shay, and everyone else. I'm not strong enough to face this Erin. I'm not you. I can't… I can't…" Erin pulled Gabby close to her and hugged her tight as her tears over took her and she broke down. Finally letting it all out.

"Shh, it's going to be okay. You CAN get past this Gabby. You are so damn strong. You beat the odds of waking up from a damn month long coma. You beat the odds of not being able to walk again. You are a woman firefighter. You Ms. Dawson are one bad ass chick. This? This is just a little bump in the road for you. And you WILL beat this." She said holding her close and comforting her.

_That not everything is gonna be the way  
You think it ought to be  
It seems like every time I try to make it right  
It all comes down on me_

Gabby drove home from Erin's apartment slowly. Needing sometime to think about everything.

She wanted to get past this. She wanted to move on. She wanted to fight. She just didn't know how to.

She was driving through a busy part of town waiting at a stop light when the sign she needed popped out.

She looked away from the light to a little corner store where she seen Welch standing talking to the clerk. His eyes met hers and she watched as an instant smirk rose to his features before he sent a wink her way.

"_Listen, you can push every one away that cares about you, you can drink yourself stupid, and you can retreat into a shell of the person you use to be and bottle everything up. You can let him win. You can let him hold onto the piece of you he took the minute he raped you. Or you can fight back. You can stand tall and let those people in that want to help, you can talk about it, cry about it, and deal with it. You can face this head on. You can take that piece of you back that he took. You can beat him, Gabby. But sitting here, doing this? You're letting him win. And you and I both know that is not who you are Gabriella Dawson."_

Erin's words rang in Gabby's head as she finally decided where she went from here. Gabby felt her fists clench around the wheel just as the light turned green and she drove on.

_She was going to fight this.  
He wouldn't win. _

She parked the car and ran up the steps to the front door.

"Matt?" She hollered. Looking around for him. He emerged from the kitchen quickly.

"Hey, are you alright? Erin called. She…" Matt was cut off as Gabby flung herself into his arms and wrapped her arms around him tight.

Matt froze shocked, but recuperated quickly wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close.

Gabby sighed in relief, happy to be in his arms again.

"Baby?" He questioned.

Gabby silenced him with a long soft kiss. Surprising him even more.

"I'm okay." She said honestly. "I'm okay." She said, reassuring him and herself.

Matt raised an eyebrow but pulled her too him again hugging her tight.

"You're okay." He said quietly relief washing over his body as he placed a kiss to her forehead.

_Please say honestly you won't give up on me  
And I shall believe  
And I shall believe_

_I shall believe…_

**Yay. I'm honestly so happy about this chapter. It is definitely one of my favorites and I really enjoyed writing it! So Gabby is finally on the road to a healthy recovery. Never fear, this story is far from over. REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW and I will have the next chapter up very soon!**

**Please let me know how you felt about this chapter, the song inserts, and the Erin/Gabby conversations. I feel like there are a lot of people in Gabby's life that could have been the one that really pulled her through the tough patches, but sometimes a person that you don't know very well or someone that can relate can be the best medicine. **

**Let's try for 15 reviews or so and I will try and have the next chapter up by tomorrow, it's about half way finished now **


	7. The Healing Powers Of Love

**Firstly I'm sorry for the wait on this one! It was a crazy weekend and I had no time at all to write the last half of this chapter, but to make up for not updating as soon, this one is extra-long! Thank you all for your continued support! I continue to be blown away by the response to this story, it truly feels amazing to see those reviews, and views climbing every day. You are all awesome!**

**Secondly, I had someone ask me why I didn't use Lindsey's obvious past history from when she was younger that the show talks about, and decided to make up my own story line for her. I did this because I honestly don't know exactly what happened in Lindsey's past history, and I feel like at that point in her life if she had been raped, it wouldn't have been as hard of a deal for her to go through and affected her in the way it would have if she would have been older and moved past all the bad stuff she had had in her childhood and had started to good for herself and what not. I wanted her to be relatable to Gabby's story, and making it the way I did was the best way to do that. **

**And thirdly, don't you all think it is time for some Dawsey goodness? Because I sure do!**

**Hope you enjoy, and remember to review!**

Matt pulled Gabby closer to him in bed as she wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him closer as they continued to kiss. He let out a moan and tightened his grip on her side as she kissed him hard on the lips and her leg snaked over his bringing herself impossibly close.

Matt pulled away resting his forehead against hers, needing to cool them down before he got to a point of no return. Not wanting to pressure her at all. He let out a deep breath before placing a soft kiss to Gabby's lips.

She quickly caught on to what he was not saying and smiled lightly. "Sorry." She murmured.

Matt quickly silenced her, lifting her chin so he could meet her eyes. "Hey, you have _nothing_ to be sorry for Gabby."

She nodded and looked at him lovingly. "Thank you."

He rose his eyebrow at her, not sure what she was thanking him for. "You've been so amazing these past few weeks, well honestly these past few months." She corrected. "No matter how hard it's gotten, or how lost, or crazy I've been. You have stuck by me and supported me, and I am just so grateful to have you Matt." She said sincerely.

He smiled at her and placed a soft kiss to her lips. "And I would do it all over again if I had too, if it meant I got to be with you."

She sighed contently. "How did I get so lucky?" She questioned.

"Oh, it's definitely all your good looks." He joked and she laughed and slapped his arm.

"I love you." She said placing a kiss to his chest.

He kissed the top of her head before replying in a goofy voice, "Yeah, I kinda like you too."

Gabby looked at him with a raised brow before placing a long searing kiss to his lips.

She giggled at the expression on his face as she pulled away.

"Baby, you are going to be the death of me." He laughed before placing a loving kiss to her nose and watching her blush.

She snuggled herself closer to him and buried her nose into his chest laughing. "Whatever you say old man." She joked.

Matt laughed and kissed her forehead, loving having her close and how happy she sounded.

He was so proud of how far his girl had come in the past 2 weeks. It hadn't been easy, and some days were still a struggle, but the past 2 weeks he had watched the light come back to her eyes and each smile she gave get bigger. She had asked the chief for two weeks off, deciding that if she was going to really get better and face this head on she need a little time to collect herself and be away from all the prying eyes and concerned looks. And Matt could never be more happy at the results that came from that decision.

Gabby let out a groan as the alarm went off and Matt chuckled at her antics. "No work." She mumbled, not lifting her head from his chest, but instead burring herself deeper under the covers.

He reached over turning the alarm off before tickling her side softly. She wiggled around and laughed at him. "Hey, stop!"

He tapped her bottom before crawling out of bed. "Come on get up, you goof."

Gabby slowly rolled over and propped herself up on her elbows watching a bare chested Matt walk around the room grabbing his clothes. He stopped in the doorway to the bathroom and turned to her with a smirk. "Would you quit staring at me like a piece of meat and get your butt out of bed?" He laughed.

Gabby decided to tease him, "Huh, what?" She joked not taking her eyes off of his body.

"That's it." Matt said jumping on to the bed and tickling her sides furiously.

Gabby squirmed around mercilessly laughing, trying to push him away.

Matt continued, loving the happy sounds he was igniting from her.

….

Gabby and Matt walked up to 51 hand in hand.

"So how long is Rafferty going to be gone anyways?" She questioned him.

Matt shrugged. "I'm not sure, but I guess her father is really sick. So hopefully only until he gets better." He said. "Why are you already sick of your old house?" He joked with her.

"God no, not at all. You know I love 51. Even if I am being a PIC instead of a firefighter." She said sincerely.

Matt kissed her forehead. "You'll be a firefighter again baby. I know it."

Gabby smiled at him as they entered the garage. "Thank you."

"Dawson?" Hermann said walking up to the couple.

Matt kissed her forehead before walking off and giving her, her space.

Herman pulled her into a side hug. "How you doing kid?" He questioned.

"Honestly, I'm good." She said sincerely.

Hermann gave her a happy smile and squeezed her shoulder. "Good to hear. We missed you here." He said before walking away.

Gabby felt a sense of calm being in her house with her second family. She hadn't seen any of them since her last shift when things were still really rough, and she was happy to be back and feeling much better. Ready to finally face her friends and family again.

She made her way to the locker room and changed out before making her way into the common room and going straight for the coffee pot.

As she walked in she got a few whoops and hollers from the men and a collective. "Hey Dawson." And, "Glad to have you back."

She smiled and told them she was glad to be back. Before turning to the coffee pot to get a cup. Kelly was standing there already holding the pot and she held her cup out for him to poor.

"How are you?" He questioned.

She gave him happy smile. "I'm doing better Kel." She said honestly. "All thanks to that awesome girlfriend of yours." She said jabbing him in the side playfully.

He blushed at the mention of Erin and Gabby laughed lightly. "She's pretty great." He agreed.

She nodded her approval. Kelly looked out of the corner of his eye and saw Shay slowly approaching them. He squeezed Dawson's shoulder. "Happy your back." He said before walking away to give the girls their time.

"You're back." Shay stated.

Gabby nodded and took a sip of her coffee. "Yeah." She smiled.

Shay bounced on her feet awkwardly. "You, uh, want to go stock the ambo?"

"Sure." She said making her way out to the garage.

The girls sat in the back awkwardly. "I'm sorry." They both finally said at the same time.

"You have nothing to be sorry for Shay."

She cut her off. "Yes I do. I pushed you, and not in a helpful way. I shouldn't have yelled and I shouldn't have gotten mad at you. I should have just been there and let you come to me when you were ready."

"It's okay Shay. I shouldn't have been pushing everyone away like I was. It's my fault. I'm sorry." Gabby said.

Shay rested her hand on Gabby's arm. "Hey you have _nothing_ to be sorry for Gabriella Dawson. Okay? You had something horrible happen and you deserve to deal with that in whatever way you choose. Don't ever apologize for that." She said sincerely.

Gabby nodded and wiped at her eyes before laughing. "How was Chout?" She questioned.

Shay rolled her eyes and laughed. "Don't remind me."

Gabby laughed loudly remembering her time with the young and eager paramedic.

"I'm glad you're back Gabs." Shay said, meaning both at work, and back to her old self.

"I am too." She said honestly.

….

Severide and Casey stood outside the garage tossing a football back and forth talking.

"So how is Gabby really doing man?" Kelly questioned.

An instant smile came to Matt's features. "Really good actually. I mean it's been tough, but ever since that night with Lindsey she has just made a total 180. She's talking to someone once a week and she's really just starting to become herself again. There are still some rough times even now, but I'm proud of her."

Kelly smiled. "That's great man. She looked happy this morning."

Matt smiled happy as well.

Kelly looked around them noticing they were alone. "So, what about the proposal you sprung on her a couple months ago. You guys talked about that yet?" He questioned.

Matt sighed. "No. It's not that I don't want too. It's just first it was the explosion, and then it was the new job and I wanted her to focus on that and get settled, and then all of this. There just hasn't been a great time to bring it up. I want it to be special, you know? With everything she's been through this year, she deserves at least that much from me." Matt said.

Kelly nodded. "I understand, but between you and me. You could ask her in a dirt pile and that girl would still say yes, Casey. She loves you, you've got nothing to worry about."

_Truck 81, Squad 3, Ambulance 61, Apt. fire, 533 14__th__ Ave…_

Kelly through the ball back to Matt before they both took off too their separate rigs.

…..

The fire ended up getting a little out of control and 2 other trucks were called in to help get it under control. Gabby felt terror rise inside of her when she saw Austin's fire trucks and ambo pull up. She met Matt's worried stare from a across the way and he gave her a reassuring smile and a wink before heading back to work and she felt the terror subside a bit before jumping back into her work with Shay by her side.

After the fire was put out and ever one was packing up Gabby had started to make her way over to Matt to talk to him, but stopped short when she seen a few of the men from Austin's house making their way towards her. She paused rooted to her spot as that same terror crept up inside her.

Before any of them could reach her or get a word out Matt and Kelly both were standing right in front of Dawson acting as a shield.

"Can we help you?" Matt asked angrily.

One of them men stepped up. "We don't want any trouble." He said holding his hands up. "We all just wanted to apologize to Dawson." He said honestly.

Matt and Kelly shared a look before stepping a part slightly to allow Dawson to step forward, but still standing their ground.

"Look Dawson. We are all really sorry for what happened to you and also how we treated you when you came to our house. That's not who we are and I guess we just need a new leader to show us that. We just want you to know that we will be behind you during this case against Welch if you need anything." Gabby watched as the men all nodded their agreement.

Gabby gave them all a small smile and nodded. "Thank you. All of you." She said.

They nodded and began to turn around. The new Lieutenant walked up to Casey before leaving and shook his hand. "Lt. Rolland. It's nice to meet you Lt. Casey. I've heard a lot of great things about you. I am sorry for your past experiences with our house, but that is turning around and I look forward to working with you in the future."

Casey nodded and the men talked for a minute before Lt. Rolland turned to Dawson. "I'm very sorry for everything that you had to endure at our house. You let us know if you need anything at all. Alright?" He told her.

Gabby told him that she would let him know and thank you, before he turned and was on his way.

After he had left Matt turned to Gabby and pulled her into his arms giving her a tight hug and a kiss to the top of her head before they parted way to their own rigs and made their way back to 51.

…..

Gabby sat silently in the ambo thinking about what the men from firehouse 105 had said to her.

Shay was driving the streets of Chicago, making her way back to 51 and Gabby felt a smirk fill her features when Shay turned out of their way and made her way over her favorite bridge.

"I missed going over that bridge." Gabby said her smile still intact.

Shay laughed. "I figured we were due for a visit together."

Gabby laughed as well before the pair grew quite again.

"So, what was all that about with the Austin crew back there?" She questioned.

Gabby chuckled. "I wondered how long that would take."

"Yeah, yeah." Shay waved her off then gave her a pointed look.

"They came to apologies." She shrugged as if it was no big deal.

"Apologies?" Shay said incredulously.

Gabby just shrugged once again. Shay looked at her like she was crazy.

"What?" She laughed at the expression on her face.

"How can you act like it's not a big deal? They shouldn't have had to apologies Gabby. They shouldn't have been assholes in the first place." She ranted. "And maybe if they would have not been little assholes from the beginning what happened wouldn't have happened…"

"Shay I know. Okay. I know. It's just. It's not a big deal anymore."

Shay gave her a look again.

"I mean obviously what Welch did is still a very big deal, but I mean what the guys did, isn't anymore. They didn't stand up for me and every once in a while they would throw in a joke here and there, but they aren't Welch. And they know what he did is wrong and they want to be in my corner. I can't fault them for their mistakes, no one knew what Welch was capable of." She said honestly.

Shay turned and focused on the road completely again. "Okay." She said. Her way of giving Gabby her approval for forgiving the men at Austin, but still not agreeing with what they did either.

Gabby only smiled at her. Lucky to have as great of a friend as Shay.

…..

"So Molly's tonight?" Hermann asked everyone as they all walked out of 51.

There was a collective yes and head nods all around and Hermann looked pointedly at Gabby and Matt, wondering if they would be joining them for the first time in a few weeks. "See you there?" He questioned them.

Matt looked at Gabby as she was tucked into his side and she sent him a small nod and smile. Matt smiled back at her before turning to Hermann.

"See you there." He agreed.

Hermann sent Gabby a wink before making his way to his own car and Matt and Gabby did the same, hoping into Matt's old pickup truck.

"I'm so tired." Gabby mumbled as they made their way into the apartment after a 10 minute drive and she plopped herself down on the couch.

Matt laughed at her antics before going to the kitchen and making some breakfast.

He returned 10 minutes later with a couple of pop tarts and some orange juice to find Gabby fast asleep on the couch. He laughed to himself before setting the food down on the coffee table. He walked around to the couch and picked her up bridal style and made his way to their bedroom.

He knew she would be tired after this shift, after having a few weeks off, but he hadn't realized just how tired she would be. He had just gotten done pulling her jeans off her legs and was pulling the covers up her when she began to stir.

"Matt?" She questioned.

"Yeah baby?" He asked setting down on the bed next to her.

She paused and looked down at herself in only her tank top and panties. "Did you change me?" She laughed.

He shrugged. "You hate when you fall asleep in your clothes." He reasoned.

She reached up and kissed his lips. "I love you, you know that right?" She said sleepily.

He pulled the blankets up to her chin and kissed her forehead. "I know. Night baby." He said before making his way back down stairs to eat his breakfast and watch a little TV.

…

The party at Molly's was in full swing by the time midnight hit.

Matt was sitting around the guy's usual table laughing with Severide, Mills, Capp, Cruz, and Hermann.

Hermann turned to Matt as the laughter died down and asked. "How is she?" He questioned pointing in Dawson's direction.

"She's doing better. I mean still rough patches some nights, but I think she is just happy to be finally getting her life back." He said honestly.

The guys all nodded in understanding.

Severide started laughing. "I think you may be carrying her home tonight Casey." He said as he watched Gabby, Erin, and Leslie laugh about something and Gabby spill half of her drink and almost tip off her bar stool, which only caused the girls to laugh harder.

Matt shook his head and laughed. "Maybe, but you have to take care of the both of them." He said pointing to Shay and Lindsay.

Severide shook his head and his laughter instantly died down. "Yeah…" He said in defeat and the rest of the guys laughed loudly at the situation Kelly was in, but also knew he would be lost without those two girls.

"I'm so happy you and Casey came out tonight." Shay said as she laughed with the girls.

Gabby bobbed her head happily. "Me too!"

The song switched and Gabby's face lit up. "I love this song!" She hollered.

Erin and Shay gave each other a look before jumping off their stools and grabbing Gabby's hands. "Let's dance!" They said as they pulled her up to the karaoke stage in the corner of the bar that a few people were dancing at.

The girls moved around drunkenly, grinding on each other and pulling out crazy moves, while laughing hysterically at one another. Happiness radiating off of them.

"So." Hermann drew out. "When are you and Dawson getting hitched Lieutenant?" He asked causing a few of the guys to look at him with wide eyes.

Casey nearly spit his drink out and shared a look with Severide. "Uhm, what are you talking about Hermann?" He questioned trying to play it off.

"Oh come on. Don't all of you act like you didn't see this knucklehead proposing at Chief's wedding." He said pointing to all the men around the table. They all averted their eyes and Hermann waved them off, realizing he wasn't getting any back up on this. "Alright look we all seen it happen, but no one wanted to say anything because of everything that went on you know with the explosion and all. But what's stopping you now Casey?" He asked.

Casey looked around at the guys at the table, realizing that they all did indeed know he had proposed and there was no stopping this conversation now. "She deserves better than some shotgun proposal like I did the first time. After all the crap she has had to deal with lately, she deserves something special. I'm just kind of stuck on what that is." He said honestly, hoping maybe the guys could help him out with some ideas.

All the men nodded, understanding what he was saying. "Coming from the only married man here, trust me you here the story of how you proposed over, and over, and over again." Hermann laughed.

Casey nodded. "Exactly. And trust me I still want to, I just don't know how to do it so it is special for her."

The guys nodded once again. Mills started laughing and all the guys looked at him funny. He pointed towards the back of the bar and they all turned their eyes that way and began to laugh while Kelly and Matt looked at each other in horror at what their girlfriends were doing and then began to laugh loudly along with the rest of the guys.

Gabby was in the middle of Shay and Erin as they all stood on top of a table dancing on each other and singing along loudly to "Wanna be" by the Spice Girls, as a small group had begun to crowed around them and cheer them on.

Matt watched Gabby and couldn't help the smile forming on his lips. She was so damn beautiful. If it were any other night he would take her home and show her just how beautiful he thought she was, but he knew that she wasn't ready for that yet. No matter how good she was doing, she still had a long recovery, and he would be their every step of the way. He was just glad to see just how happy she was tonight. There were times in the past 2 weeks where he could see her clearly forcing the happy on to appease the people around her. But tonight. Tonight was all her and there was no faking the carefree smile on her face as she sang and danced along with two of her best friends.

He didn't think he could love her any more than he already did, but she easily proved him wrong in that moment.

Eventually 2am struck and Matt and Kelly were practically pulling the girls out of the bar as they continued to laugh and dance with each other down the street as they all had decided to walk to the bar together, they were all walking home together as well.

Lindsey was leaning drunkenly on Kelly as they walked along side Matt and all 3 of them were laughing as Shay attempted to give Gabby a piggy back ride a few steps ahead of them.

"It's a good thing they are paramedics." Severide joked. Making Matt and Erin laugh out loudly as Gabby slid of off Shay's back again, barely landing and almost sending both girls tumbling to the ground.

"Oh dear." Matt said shaking his head as Gabby climbed onto a bench ahead of them to jump on to Shay's back. They watched with baited breathes as Gabby finally successfully made it onto Shay's back and they both squealed with glee. Shay turned them back towards their three friends. "Hurry up you slow pokes!" Shay hollered before she took off down the sidewalk with Dawson on her back.

"I don't think I have ever seen two more care free people in my life." Lindsey elaborated. Causing Matt and Kelly to nod in agreement.

"Thanks for showing Gabby such a good time tonight." Matt said to her then.

Lindsey nodded and smiled as they all watched the two girls in front of them laughing and twirling around. "She needed it. I'm glad she is doing better."

"Me too." Matt agreed. "And thank you, for whatever you said to her that night. I've been meaning to talk to you. Thank you. It really helped, and got her back on track."

"Hey I only gave her the push she needed. She is where she is right now because of her, not me." Erin said pointing to the two happy girls.

….

"Hey drunky." Matt said walking into the bathroom the next morning with a glass of water. "How you feeling?" He questioned Gabby as she leaned up against the tub by the toilet.

"Like I had far too many tequila shots last night." She groaned rubbing her sore head.

Matt gave her a sympathetic smile before handing her the glass and ibuprofen. She swallowed them down before turning to him once again.

"And how the hell did I manage this?" She questioned, motioning to the black and blue bruise on her knee.

Matt laughed. "You insisted Shay give you a piggy back ride. And you took a little tumble." Gabby groaned causing Matt to laugh. "I'm honestly surprised that's your only battle wound of the night." He said honestly causing Gabby to give him a glare, which only furthered his laughter.

"You're mean." She whined.

He continued to laugh as he grabbed her hands and pulled her up then pulled her body flush against his leaning down and kissing her neck, smiling in the same spot when she rolled her neck to the side giving him better access. He leaned down and she could feel his hot breath on her neck before he whispered, "You should get ready for work, we are going to be late." Before pulling away from her quickly and running off to the bedroom.

"So mean!" She hollered after him all the while laughing as she got ready for another shift at 51.

…..

Ambulance 61 had just pulled back into the bay after another long call. Truck and squad had returned shortly before them and were still all out on the apparatus floor cleaning their gear when the girls pulled back in. They were less than half way through their 24 hour shift and Dawson and Shay were both regretting the amount of alcohol they had consumed the night before. They were chatting and giggling like school girls as they made their way through the garage to go into the common room when a voice stopped them both dead in their tracks.

"Dawson." Welch said as he stood in the door way to one of the garages.

Gabby froze in her spot unable to move for a moment as her worst nightmare all came rushing back to her.

"_You know Dawson I see what Casey see's in you…"_

"… _all they do is choke…"_

"_Have fun riding on Casey's coat tails…"_

"_Come on Dawson, how about you leave this house with a bang…"_

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Matt's booming voice broke her from her trance as she stepped back away from Welch and next to Shay, staring at the man in front of her.

"Casey!" Mills and Hermann yelled, running over to him as he stomped towards Welch, no doubt about to beat him to a pulp.

"Get out!" Casey yelled pointing to the door. "Get the hell out of here before you have to be carried out of here in a black bag." He said his voice dropping to dangerous levels as Welch's smirk only grew and he turned his eyes to Gabby who was looking on at the scene in horror.

"I suggest you listen to him." Severide said, his voice matching Matt's as he thought about the scene he had walked in on almost 3 weeks ago.

"Ah look its Rocky." Welch joked, referring to the beating Severide had given him.

Severide made to walk towards him but was stopped by a hand to his chest from Cruz. While a fuming Matt stood behind Mills and Hermann, ready to pounce at any moment.

"Leave Welch. I can't believe you would even think of showing your face in this fire house of all places after what you've done." Severide seethed.

He shrugged his shoulders, his smile still intact. "What happened to innocent until proven guilty?" He questioned.

Matt was fuming as he lunged at him again, only barely being held back by Hermann and Mills. "You and everyone else knows you are not fucking innocent! You know what you did! You know what you did to her! Get out of here! Get the hell out of here!" He yelled having enough of this man, an animalistic side of him coming out that none of the men or women of 51 had ever seen in him before.

Shay pulled Gabby into her side as she jumped back at Matt's yelling. She was visibly shaking at the scene in front of her, terrified by the man in front of her that had hurt her so badly.

Welch's eyes turned to Gabby once again and Hermann and Mills struggled to hold him back. "Don't look at her, don't come near her, don't even think about her, or it will be the last thing you do." Matt said lowly. Getting Welch's attention back to him.

"Leave!" Matt yelled again pointing at him.

"I suggest you listen to him." Chief Boden said stepping out into the garage, as he could hear all the yelling from inside. "If I see your face in my firehouse again I will personally escort you out." He growled.

Welch turned to him and smiled. Throwing his hands up and chuckling. "Where's the fire?" He joked as he sent a wink in Dawson's direction as he walked away. Matt lunging forward again at his action, but once again being held back by Hermann and Mills.

Everyone stood still as Welch went out of site. Cruz stepped away from Severide, and Mills and Hermann let Matt go. "

"Sorry Lt." Mills said stepping back.

Casey took a deep breath before shaking his head and patting both of the men on the shoulder. "No, thank you." He said before turning around to go to Gabby who was still firmly planted next to Shay, tears lingering in her eyes.

Matt walked to her and engulfed her small frame into his arms. "I got you." He whispered into her ear, knowing that she had been scared. He quickly ushered her into his office, knowing that she needed a minute and probably didn't not want all of her friends to see her break down after how far she had come.

Matt closed the door and pulled the blinds closed before setting down on the bed with her. She was still shaking and hadn't said a word, and Matt was beginning to worry.

He wrapped his arms around her again and placed his head on top of hers, leaving kisses in her hair. "You okay?" He whispered.

She took a deep breath and nodded slowly. "Yeah. I will be." She said still not meeting his eyes.

"Baby?" He questioned.

She shook her head and turned to him giving him a soft smile. "I'll be okay. Just need a few minutes." She said honestly.

He nodded in understanding. "Anything I can do?" He questioned wanting to help.

She paused thinking about it for a moment before nodding. She grabbed his arm and pushed him back onto the bed and crawled up beside him, laying her head on his chest as he wrapped his arms around her small frame, pulling her close.

"This." She whispered, snuggling her head into his chest and listening to his steady heartbeat. "This is exactly what I need." She said feeling herself relaxing into him and her problems that Welch stirred up subsiding.

…..

An hour after the Welch ordeal Detective Lindsey waltzed into the fire house and met everyone in the common room. They all sat quietly and Lindsey could tell that they were all upset and in deep thought.

Her boots hiding the floor stirred a few out of their thoughts. Hermann looked up and chuckled to himself. "That was fast."

Lindsey raised her brow at him before meeting Kelly's eyes. He stood and grabbed her hand, pulling her out of earshot to talk.

"Did Boden call you?" He questioned confused.

She raised her brow at him as well. "No… Why? What's going on Kel?" She questioned concerned.

He sighed. "Welch showed up here about an hour ago."

"He what?" She yelled, causing many heads in the common room to pop up. Kelly turned to them and they all looked back down quickly. He sighed and grabbed her hand pulling her out to the apparatus floor and began to tell her the story of Welch showing up.

"That smug bastard." She said in disbelief. "How is Gabby?" She questioned immediately concerned for her new friends wellbeing.

Kelly shrugged. "She was pretty shaken. He didn't get to say anything to her with Casey there so quickly, but I don't know, she seemed pretty upset. Casey took her to his office for some privacy, they haven't come out yet." He told her.

She nodded and then sighed.

"Wait if you aren't here for that, then what's going on?" He questioned her.

Erin looked at him and bit her lip before telling him what she had come to the fire house for.

…..

Gabby and Matt both stirred from their sleep when they heard a knock at the door. They both looked at each other confused and sat up in bed.

"You okay?" Matt asked her.

She nodded her head and sent him a smile as she came to sit on the side of the bed as Matt opened the door revealing Detective Lindsey.

"Hey, Lindsey. What's up?" He asked worried.

"Hey Casey. Can I talk to Gabby for a minute?" She questioned. He raised his brow, but nodded. He turned and grabbed his jacket and gave Gabby a kiss before leaving the two girls in his office.

"Hey buddy." Lindsey said as she came to stand in front of Gabby.

"Hey." She said quietly.

"Kelly told me what happened." She said and Gabby nodded in understanding. "I know it's the last thing you want me to ask, but, how are you?" She said.

Gabby shrugged and brought one of her knees up to her chest. "I don't know. I mean I'm okay, I just," She stopped herself.

"Just what?" Erin prodded.

Gabby sighed in frustration. "I just with all the work I've been doing with the therapist, and hitting the gym, and just doing better. I guess I thought that when I saw him again I would be able to stand my ground and tell him off… but I just froze." She said softly.

Erin came to sit down on the side of the bed next to her folding her hands in her lap. "Gabby it's only been a little over three weeks. You are doing 20 times better than I was at this point. He ambushed you, you have every right to freeze even if it had been 20 years since it happened, but it hasn't been years, it's been weeks, and you are doing _so_ well. Don't let this set you back."

Gabby shook her head. "Yeah. I know." Gabby sighed, then had a thought. "I'm thinking of hitting the gym some more. I could use a work out buddy." She said turning to Erin. Hoping that working out would help her better prepare herself for if she ever ran into him again, especially if Casey and the guys weren't there to rescue her.

Erin smiled. "Of course." She said understanding her reasoning without her having to say it.

They sat in silence for a minute. "So not that I'm not happy to see you and all, but what actually brought you by?" Gabby laughed, but stopped when she seen the expression on Erin's face.

She sighed heavily. "Look I hate having to bring this up right now… but uh, they scheduled a trial." Erin told her gently.

Gabby nodded and took a deep breath digesting the information. "Okay… I mean that's good right? To get it over with, gets him back in jail sooner right?" Erin nodded. "So when is it?" Gabby asked.

Erin sighed, this was the part she had not wanted to tell Gabby about. "Next week."

Gabby looked at her in surprise. "Oh."

"They plan on calling you to the stand, Gabby… This isn't going to be easy, but you've come so far." Erin told her. "You think you can handle this so soon?" She asked gently.

Gabby met her eyes and Erin could see the fear in them. "I don't know." She answered honestly.

**Holy moly this was over 6,000 words! **

**Leave me a review and let me know if you guys have any ideas, or what you would like to see in this story. I have a pretty good outline for it, but I am up for suggestions, especially on little fun filler scenes, sometimes I struggle to write those little fun moments, all the while sticking with the main story line, so suggestions are appreciated. **

**Thank you all again for your reviews! 3 **

**Next chapter will focus on the trial and more. **

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW you lovely readers!**


End file.
